3.100.  Between October 2015 and August 2020, Singapore notified 11 changes to SPS requirements regarding food products, of which ten entered into force within that period, and one is to become effective in June 2021. The amendments relate to the Food Regulations (concerning, inter alia, partially hydrogenated oils, food additives, preservatives, and maximum residue limits), subsidiary legislation under the Sale of Food Act, and changes to veterinary import conditions for several meat and egg products (Table A3.2)

3.101.  Under the National Parks Board Act (2019), NParks is empowered to administer the legal framework for all sanitary measures relating to non-food plants and animals. The Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) was established as a cluster under NParks in April 2019 to safeguard the health and welfare of animals, and it serves as the main contact point for animal-related issues in Singapore.[117]

3.102.  All animals entering Singapore are required to undergo inspection by AVS officers. Moreover, depending on the country they come from, some dogs, cats, and small mammals may also be subject to quarantine upon arrival. Between 2016 and 2020, the authorities conducted regular reviews of the rabies risk status of countries and territories exporting dogs and cats to Singapore, resulting in the amendment of the risk categorization of several of them (Germany, Jersey, Latvia, Luxembourg, New Caledonia, and Slovakia)

3.103.  The Animals and Birds (Importation) Order, under the Animals and Birds Act, establishes the import requirements for various types of animal products, such as animal semen, fertilizers containing any animal products, feed containing animal products, and clinical and pathological specimens and animal carcasses. The Animals and Birds (Live Fish) Rules specify the conditions applicable to live ornamental fish, including the requirement to submit a health certificate and the penalties to be applied in case of non-compliance

3.104.  During the review period, Singapore revised the list of countries that are authorized to export live horses to its territory. In April 2019, the Kingdom of Bahrain was included in the list of countries allowed to export horses to Singapore on a temporary basis, and in June 2019, Uruguay was added to the list of countries that may export horses to Singapore on a regular basis

3.105.  All imports of plants and plant products are regulated under the Control of Plants Act to prevent the introduction of exotic plant pests and diseases into the country. Domestically produced plants cultivated in agrotechnology parks are also regulated by NParks, together with the SFA

3.106.  Operators wishing to import plants must obtain a prior import permit from NParks. All plant consignments must be accompanied by phytosanitary certificates issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin. Additional documentation may be required for the importation of some plants, including, for example, a declaration of freedom from an endemic plant disease, where applicable

3.107.  NParks and the SFA are the authorities in charge of issuing SPS certificates for Singaporean exports of food, animals, and plants, in accordance with the requirements of importing countries. Moreover, NParks manages export accreditation schemes for plants and ornamental fish, in order to ensure the quality of the products for export. Under these schemes, traders set up quality assurance systems to ensure the health and quality of their exports. NParks conducts regular audits of the participants in the accreditation schemes

3.108.  The Sale of Food Act (Cap. 283) and the Food Regulations establish the labelling requirements for prepacked food products. Accordingly, a label must contain the following general information in English[118]: (i) name or description to adequately reflect the true nature of the food; (ii) country of origin; (iii) statement of ingredients, including declaration of ingredients that would cause hypersensitivity in individuals (e.g. allergens declarations); (iv) net quantity of the food, i.e. net weight (for solid food) and volume (liquid food), and for food packed in liquid medium, the net weight and drained weight; and (v) the name and address of the importer or seller. Illustrations on the label must accurately describe the true nature or origin of the food. Foods subject to defined standards must be labelled to conform to those standards and be free from added foreign substances. Packages of food described as "enriched", "fortified", "vitaminized", or in any other way that implies that the article contains added vitamins or minerals must show the quantity of vitamins or minerals added per metric unit

3.109.  Apart from the above general requirements, specific labelling requirements may apply to certain prepacked foods. That is the case, for example, of 19 groups of food products included in the Second Schedule of the Food Regulations, which must bear the expiry dates on their labels. In another example, labels for bottled natural mineral water and spring water are required to indicate the source of the water, the analytical composition giving the water its characteristics, and advisory statements relating to sulphate and fluoride content. Labels on edible fats and oils must include a nutrition information panel, indicating the trans-fatty acids content. Prepacked food products containing phytosterols, phytosterol esters, phytostanols, and phytostanol esters are required to be labelled with advisory statements.[119]

3.110.  Currently, prepacked genetically modified (GM) food products are not subject to specific labelling requirements. Through its Labelling Subcommittee, the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC) follows international trends on GM food labelling. The authorities indicate that the SFA, together with the GMAC, will assess the issue in relation to Singapore, and implement a GM food labelling policy if, and when, the need arises

3.88.  During the review period, Singapore made changes to the institutional setup governing its SPS regime. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) was dissolved in April 2019, and its functions were transferred to two regulatory bodies: the new Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for food safety matters and the National Parks Board (NParks) for the animal and plant health aspects (including CITES)

3.89.  Presently, the main laws regulating SPS measures include the Singapore Food Agency Act, the National Parks Board Act, the Animals and Birds Act, the Control of Plants Act, the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act, the Sale of Food Act, and their respective subsidiary legislation. The relevant laws have been amended to reflect the institutional changes that took place in 2019 (Table 3.8). Apart from these, there have been no major changes to Singapore's SPS regulatory framework

3.90.  The SFA, under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, is the body in charge of implementing legislation on food safety, food security, and other food matters, bringing together the relevant functions formerly exercised by the AVA and other regulatory agencies.[114] Having a more holistic oversight is intended to enable the SFA to strengthen the management of foodborne disease outbreaks to protect public health and, at the same time, facilitate business-friendly relations. The National Centre for Food Science, established under the SFA, brings together all laboratory testing infrastructure previously managed by other agencies

3.91.  The National Parks Board, under the Ministry of National Development, is empowered to administer the legal framework for animal health and welfare, and plant health. To discharge the functions relating to animal health and welfare, a new Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) was established as a cluster under NParks in April 2019. In addition, NParks, with the collaboration of SFA officers, implements the legal provisions regulating farms, as well as imports of fruits, vegetables, livestock, and table eggs for food safety

3.92.  Singapore maintains two national enquiry points under the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: the SFA for food safety matters, and NParks for animal health and plant health issues. The national notification authority is the MTI. Singapore regularly submits notifications to the SPS Committee. No specific trade concerns were raised in the Committee regarding measures notified by Singapore during the review period

3.93.  The authorities indicate that Singapore ensures that its SPS measures are consistent with the international standards, guidelines, and recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Where international/regional standards are not available, Singapore conducts its own risk assessment and makes risk-management decisions, taking into account economic, technical, and other relevant factors

3.94.  The main focus of Singapore's food import policy is to ensure and secure a steady and sufficient supply of safe food from a large number of sources. Imports of food are regulated by the Control of Plants Act (fresh fruits and vegetables), the Animals and Birds Act (live animals and fresh eggs), the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act (meat and fish products), and the Sale of Food Act (all other foods)

3.95.  Operators wishing to import food products or food contact articles (i.e. food appliances) must obtain a trader's licence and/or register with the SFA. An import permit is required for every consignment of food products.[115] The SFA and NParks inspect import consignments to assess whether they are free from disease, contaminants, and spoilage, by implementing inspections, samplings, and laboratory tests. Entry is refused to non-compliant consignments, which are either destroyed or sent back to the country of origin. In addition, traceability requirements, identifying the country of origin and often also the farm or establishment, apply to all food products

3.96.  Imports of high-risk food products, such as dairy, livestock, meat, and fish, are subject to more stringent controls, including health certificates, laboratory analysis reports, or proof that the source or factory is regulated by the competent authority of the exporting country. To ensure compliance with food safety requirements, the authorities implement integrated measures, including foreign farm accreditation, inspections, and regular testing

3.97.  The SFA and NParks jointly carry out accreditation of overseas farms and establishments, based on risk assessment and taking into account factors such as veterinary infrastructure, disease status, hygiene, legislation, and other SPS measures. Imports of meat and meat products are allowed only from accredited establishments, located in countries that have been approved to export meat to Singapore.[116] For example, chilled pork can be imported only from accredited farms in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States

3.98.  Fresh eggs are imported only from accredited farms in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States. Imports of broiler chickens and ducks are allowed only from accredited farms in Malaysia. Pigs may be imported only from one farm in Indonesia and one in Malaysia. Dairy products from countries that are not free from Foot and Mouth Disease may be imported only if subjected to treatment in accordance with OIE guidelines

3.99.  Imports of high-risk shellfish products (e.g. oysters, cockle meat, cooked prawns, and cooked crab meat) must be accompanied by a health certificate from the country of origin. Imports of live oysters are limited to those sources with recognized sanitation programmes, namely Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All consignments of high-risk shellfish products are subjected to laboratory testing upon arrival in Singapore