3.100.  Zimbabwe has a good record of providing food safety notifications prior to adopting measures. During the review period, it notified three Codex-based draft regulations concerning bottled water; packaged water; and labelling requirements for pre-packaged food.[123] In addition, in 2016, it notified a draft regulation concerning mandatory food fortification and labelling, which is partly based on Codex standards, and partly on national standards, according to the authorities.[124] The regulation entered into force in 2017. In total, Zimbabwe has 24 commodity-specific food regulations in place, according to the SPS register maintained by the National Codex Contact Point. Phytosanitary measures

3.101.  The Department of Research and Specialist Services, Specialist Services Division, Plant Quarantine Services Institute (of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement) functions as the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) and is responsible for phytosanitary measures. The basic legal framework comprises the Plant Pest and Diseases Act (Chapter 19:08) of 1958, and the Plant Pests and Diseases (Importation) Regulations, 1976.[125]

3.102.  For imports, the first step is an application, in person, for a plant import permit from the Department of Research and Specialist Services in Harare or the Head Plant Quarantine and Plant Protection Services Institute in Mazowe. A permit is required for all plants and plant products entering Zimbabwe. The process involves pest risk analysis, and a decision by the Chief Plant Quarantine Office on whether preshipment inspection is required. A weekly schedule is compiled by the NPPO for approval, together with a recommendation for approval (or not) by the approving authority. Registration of the applicant with the Agricultural Marketing Authority is a pre‑requirement. The second step involves an application for a biosafety permit from the National Biotechnology Authority (See also 3.2.3.1). The third step involves the issuance of an import permit by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. This process takes about 14 days. In the case of approval, a permit is issued. There is no website yet that allows for import handling permit applications. The applicable fees are USD 5 for commercial imports and USD 1 for other imports.[126]

3.103.  Plant import permit conditions typically stipulate that plants must be fumigated on arrival, unless accompanied by a fumigation certificate; in the absence of this certificate, the plants may be released on the importer's signed undertaking to report with the goods to a specified centre for fumigation

3.104.  A phytosanitary certificate is required for the importation of any commodity of plant origin; release from customs may be refused if the certificate produced is not worded in accordance with the conditions stipulated on the import permit. The importer has the right to appeal against the detention or destruction of a plant. A transit permit is required for all agricultural products. Plant health inspectors are stationed at most of Zimbabwe's entry points to facilitate customs clearance; where there are no inspectors, ZIMRA officers have been appointed as plant inspectors

3.105.  Imports of pesticides are regulated by the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds and Remedies Act (Chapter 18:12), and the Pesticide Regulations issued in 2012. No pesticide may be imported into Zimbabwe, for private use or for resale, unless it is registered with the Plant Protection Research Institute (Pesticides Registration Office). All imports of unregistered pesticides are detained pending registration. Non-registered pesticides may be imported for experimental purposes only, with written authorization from the Registering Officer; the containers must bear the label "for experimental purposes only - not for sale". Active ingredients for use in pesticide formulations do not have to be registered, and are not subject to control on importation. Biosafety policy

3.106.  Zimbabwe joined the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in 2005. Its biosafety policy, international commitments, and legislation require risk assessment (Section 25 of the National Biotechnology Authority (NBA) Act). The NBA Act (Chapter 14:31) was passed in 2006, and it superseded the Research Amendment Act, 1998. The NBA replaced the Biosafety Board

3.107.  According to the authorities, Zimbabwe provides for the importation of genetically modified grains under supervised milling and transportation arrangements during food shortages. Millers that abide by supervised milling procedures are given permits to import genetically modified grains, e.g. maize

3.108.  In 2018, new GMO regulations were promulgated, that established the procedures for obtaining a biosafety permit from the NBA and a registration certificate for GMO operators (importers). The registration fee is USD 500. The regulations contain a long and non-exhaustive list of agricultural products requiring GMO-free certificates/declarations (commodities, meat, fish, dairy products, feed, vegetables, coffee and tea, feed additives, seeds, etc). Applications for a biosafety import permit must be accompanied by a GMO certificate or a GMO declaration issued by the competent authority in the exporting country. GMO declarations are accepted only for milled and other products (except seeds and grain) not known to contain GM ingredients

3.109.  Furthermore, in 2018 Zimbabwe adopted mandatory labelling rules with regard to genetically modified food and feed[127], which provide that: a. Operators that produce or sell food or feed containing at least 1% of genetically modified products shall label their products in accordance with the regulation; b. Operators that produce or sell food or feed containing less than 1% genetically modified products shall not be required to label their products as such, and if they so wish, operators shall ensure that the label is worded appropriately according to the regulation

3.110.  According to the authorities, genetically modified seeds can be imported only for confined field trials and will be approved only for commercial use once Zimbabwe adopts GMOs. Research trials are allowed and should be conducted under the supervision of the NBA. Veterinary measures

3.111.  The Department of Veterinary Services (of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement) is responsible for animal health and veterinary measures. The Veterinary Services, as mandated by law, also administer imports of grains (S.I. 57 of 1989). Zimbabwe's Animal Health Act (Chapter 19:01) of 1961, last amended in 2001,[128] gives powers to the Minister to eradicate and prevent animal pests and diseases. The Act and most of its regulations require updating, and are under review, according to the authorities. The Veterinary Services issued a list of endemic notifiable diseases (S.I. 49 of 2017), which include foot and mouth disease, anthrax, rabies, and Newcastle disease

3.112.  Imports of animals and related products require a veterinary import permit, issued by the Veterinary Services Head Office in Harare; and a veterinary health certificate signed by the exporting country's veterinary authority. The granting of a veterinary import permit for certain animals or animal products (e.g. chickens and chicken products, dairy products, and processed and canned meats) may be conditional on the inspection of processing plants in the exporting country; the cost is paid for by the importer. In addition, some products (certain live animals and animal products) require a Control of Goods Import Permit, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture (under S.I. 350 of 1993), in order to control imported quantities. Animal health inspection fees at the border were revised in 2016 and were USD 20 per shipment until June 2019, when they were brought to ZWL 20.[129]

3.113.  Upon arrival at the port of entry, systematic physical inspection of the products is carried out. A release certificate of the consignment is issued, for an additional ZWL 20

3.114.  Live animals entering Zimbabwe are typically quarantined for 30 days. Breeding stock is the only live poultry to be allowed into Zimbabwe, and is quarantined for a minimum of 12 weeks and inspected at least twice daily.[130] Samples from all shipments of imported animal products are tested at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) to ascertain whether they are fit for human consumption before being released into the market; tests are performed for salmonella and total bacterial count, at a cost of USD 10 and USD 5, respectively. If the test results are favourable, a release certificate is issued for a fee of USD 20 per consignment (the charges are, in principle, levied in ZLW since June 2019). A second test could be performed if the results of the first test are unfavourable (Article 5.3 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement), provided the laboratory is accredited; in November 2019, only the CVL was accredited in Zimbabwe

3.115.  Animals, animal products, and "infectious things"[131] are not subject to controls if in transit by either rail or air (unless they have passed through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, or Zambia); this measure is currently under review. A transit permit (conditional on an import permit from the importing country) must be obtained

3.116.  New developments with respect to the veterinary measures include the following: new regulations on veterinary diagnostic testing laboratories were published in 2017 (S.I. 89 of 2017); the health certificate for the importation of cattle was amended in 2014 to include the section indicating that "the animals may only be disposed of after 3 years while breeding, under close veterinary monitoring"; with effect from October 2014, a new prerequisite regarding the importation of cattle was introduced. Applicants are now required to submit a breeder's certificate or breeder's confirmation letter and an authorized veterinarian confirmation letter on breeding status. This is to prevent imports of live animals for slaughter (which are prohibited) disguised as imports for breeding purposes; Section 9 regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on the health certificate on importation of day-old chicks and hatching eggs was amended, in line with the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 2014. The section "the country must be free from active highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry" was amended to read "the country, zone, or compartment must be free from active highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry". The section "the poultry flocks of origin are located in districts free from highly pathogenic avian influenza, and more than 300 Km away from any highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in the country" was changed to read "the poultry flocks of origin are located in districts free from highly pathogenic avian influenza"; the health certificate regarding the importation of blood meal was amended in 2015 for Botswana, to read "the processing temperature 90 degree Celsius for a minimum period of 30 minutes at an absolute pressure 400-800 Kpa", from a temperature of 133 degrees Celsius for a minimum period of 20 minutes at an absolute pressure of three bar; regarding the health certificate for the importation of fish, the following condition was added in 2015 "declare freedom from algae toxins and seasons for harvesting of fish"; testing for Johne's disease on the importation of cattle, sheep and goats was amended on health certificates to include the ELISA test; a polymerase chain reaction test was added to the health certificate for the importation of semen, to test for Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis; the proposed health certificate for the export of bovine semen from the Netherlands was adopted in 2018; and in 2019, proposed health certificates for the importation of live sheep, goats, and cattle, frozen bovine embryos and frozen semen from Canada and the United States were reviewed and adopted by both countries

3.117.  Movement restrictions of animals due to disease outbreaks were implemented for the following diseases: HPAI and the tick-borne disease Theileriosis in 2017; foot and mouth disease; anthrax (sporadic outbreaks were experienced, and all affected areas are quarantined); and African Swine Fever in 2019. All affected areas were quarantined. The importation of poultry and poultry products from South Africa is suspended due to a HPAI outbreak that occurred in 2018

3.93.  Zimbabwe's SPS regime remains substantially unchanged since the last TPR in 2011. The legal framework for food safety, animal health, and plant pest and disease control is largely obsolete, and requires modernization. Zimbabwe provided five SPS notifications in the period under review (Table 2.2). No specific trade concerns were raised against Zimbabwe's measures in the WTO SPS Committee

3.94.  Zimbabwe is a member of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Codex Alimentarius Commission, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the International Plant Protection Convention. It is also a member of the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources, and the Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (a Regional Plant Protection Organization)

3.95.  The development of mechanisms for the harmonization of SPS measures at the regional level (SADC and COMESA) are at a very early stage. Within the SADC, Zimbabwe entered into commitments to work towards the harmonization of SPS measures within the region. The SADC Protocol on Trade (Annex on SPS measures) requires its members to base their practices on the international standards, guidelines, and recommendations of the SPS Agreement. Its objective is to improve SPS cooperation and harmonization in the SADC region, and to ensure that members do not arbitrarily discriminate or restrict trade. The SADC adopted in 2011 several regional guidelines on various SPS matters (SPS management, food safety, veterinary drugs, and crop protection).[117]

3.96.  As an example of the nascent harmonization within the SADC, in 2013, a memorandum of understanding on the Harmonized Seed Regulatory System (and related phytosanitary measures) was opened for signature among SADC members. It has not yet been signed by Zimbabwe. The regulatory regime for seeds is aimed at facilitating cross-border trade in certified seed varieties, and reducing repetitive national testing. The system comprises a SADC seed variety catalogue and common phytosanitary measures for seeds. The SPS measures include two SADC pest lists: one for seed-borne pests/pathogens requiring control when seeds are traded across borders within the SADC; and the other where seeds are imported from third countries

3.97.  In accordance with Article 132 of the COMESA Treaty, COMESA members undertook "to harmonise their policies and regulations relating to phytosanitary and sanitary measures without impeding the export of crops, plants, seeds, livestock, livestock products, fish and fish-products".[118] In 2009, COMESA Regulations on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures entered into force, which provide for the establishment of a COMESA Green Pass scheme. The Green Pass is intended as a commodity-specific SPS certification scheme for the movement of agricultural products within the COMESA, implemented by the respective National Green Pass Authorities.[119] To date, this scheme is not yet operational. Food safety

3.98.  The legal framework for food safety comprises the Public Health Act (covering, inter alia, basic hygiene requirements), and the Food and Food Standards Act of 1971, last amended in 2001.[120] The latter food law deals mainly with the production, sale and importation of adulterated or "falsely described" food items. It established the Food Standards Advisory Board to formulate and advise the Minister of Health on food safety policy, and to develop regulations; the Food Standards Advisory Board also functions as the National Codex Committee. A national food safety strategy was being drafted in November 2019, with the help of the FAO

3.99.  Several food safety regulations were promulgated under the Food and Food Standards Act, some of which predate the establishment of the WTO and appear to be outdated. Under the recent Food and Food Standards (Import and Export) Regulations (S.I. No. 8 of 2015), all imports of food are subject to inspection at the border, unless the importer concerned holds a Food Sanitary Certificate, issued by the Minister of Health, in accordance with the Food and Food Standards (Inspection and Certification) Regulations, 2015 (S.I. No. 5 of 2015).[121] Certification involves inspection of the premises. Food inspectors are authorized to detain import consignments for up to 14 days. Both 2015 regulations are based on the Codex Alimentarius, according to the authorities, and were notified to the SPS Committee.[122] In November 2019, Zimbabwe was in the process of drafting a procedure for implementing the relevant Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice for reducing aflatoxins in peanuts and peanut butter

3.74.  Zimbabwe has made one notification to the WTO TBT Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) since 2012 (Table 2.2). The Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) is the national standards body, which also functions as Zimbabwe's WTO TBT enquiry point for standards and conformity assessment. Trade-related matters are handled by the MIC. The SAZ is a non‑governmental and non-profit organization, with offices in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. It is funded mainly through grants from the Standards Development Fund and its certification, testing, calibration and training services and publications. The Fund, administered by the MIC, collects the proceeds of a levy related to the wage bill payable by designated employers

3.75.  The SAZ represents Zimbabwe in standardization activities at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO), which Zimbabwe joined in 2018, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC); and the African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (AFSEC). Furthermore, the SAZ is involved in the harmonization of policies and standards within the framework of the COMESA, the SADC, and AfCFTA under the ARSO

3.76.  The SADC has committed to work towards the elimination of unnecessary TBTs among its members. The SADC Protocol on Trade (Annex concerning TBTs) provides for the harmonization "through harmonized texts, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in order to facilitate and increase trade".[110] This includes, inter alia, the withdrawal of a conflicting national standard once the text of a regional standard has been developed and approved. To this end, the SADC established the Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Accreditation, and Metrology Programme, a framework under which several TBT-related harmonization structures were set up, including the SADC Accreditation Service (SADCAS) and the SADC Cooperation in Standards (SADCSTAN). [111] To date, the SADCSTAN has developed 99 regional standards, in the areas of management systems, construction, electrical appliances, and fish products. According to the SAZ, Zimbabwe had adopted 66% of the SADC harmonized standards by 2019. Some of the standards were not adopted, as they conflict with Zimbabwean technical regulations (e.g. the reflective triangle standard for road safety)

3.77.  Among its many programmes, the COMESA aims to achieve the harmonization of standards, which is undertaken by the COMESA Committee on Standardization and Quality Assurance. The COMESA has harmonized 322 standards, of which the SAZ has adopted 60%, especially for food products, steel products, timber, and power cables

3.78.  The Continental Standardization Body under the ARSO was established in 1977, with the mandate of harmonizing African Regional Standards, which are developed or adopted. To date, the ARSO has harmonized more than 280 standards and, of these, Zimbabwe has adopted 51

3.79.  Within the SAZ, national standards are prepared by technical committees (TCs) with broad representation, including manufacturers, trade associations, government departments, research and professional institutions, and the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe under the MIC. The SAZ has over 250 committees and sub-committees, consisting of over 4,000 national experts. As a signatory to the WTO code of good practice for the preparation, adoption, and application of standards, the SAZ seeks to abide by its principles of openness, balance of interests and participants, due process, and consensus.[112] The process provides for a 60-day period for public comment. A two-thirds majority of the TC members is required for a standard's approval for publication

3.80.  To date (2019), the SAZ has published 2,352 Zimbabwean standards, about 57% of which are based on international, regional, or foreign national standards from other countries. The Zimbabwe National Standardization Strategy is in place for the three-year cycle of 2018-20, which has identified 133 new standardization projects, mainly in food and agriculture (46).[113]

3.81.  Decisions on the adoption of standards as technical regulations are made by the ministry in charge of regulating the relevant sector. A statutory instrument making the standard mandatory must be enacted by that ministry and published in the government Gazette. Zimbabwe's technical regulations cover a range of products, including Portland cement, cement bricks, glass blocks, damp‑proofing materials, mastic asphalt for roofing, bitumen roofing felts, fibre cement felts, fire extinguishers, fire doors, zinc coatings on steel, clay roofing tiles, steel pipes, copper tubes, and water taps. The energy sector is also covered by technical regulations. To date, about 3% of the standards have been adopted as technical regulations in Zimbabwe

3.82.  In December 2015, Zimbabwe introduced a mandatory preshipment conformity assessment scheme (the Consignment-Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) Programme). The Programme was promulgated through S.I. 132 of 2015, Control of Goods (Open General Import License) (Standards Assessment) Notice 2015, and notified to the TBT Committee.[114] According to the authorities, the objective of the Programme is to reduce the risk of hazardous and substandard imported products entering Zimbabwe, for consumer and environmental protection reasons (e.g. motor vehicles, and hazardous substances). The Programme is not related to the valuation of goods. The statutory instrument does not state the objectives of the measure

3.83.  Under the CBCA Programme, designated products (12% of tariff lines at the HS eight‑digit level) within the following categories are subject to controls under the Programme: food and agricultural products; fertilizers; building and civil engineering products; certain petroleum and fuels (not inspected by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Agency); packaging material; electrical/electronic products; body care products; automotive and transportation goods; clothing and textiles; and toys.[115]

3.84.  The CBCA Programme provides that the designated products, when imported into the country, must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity with Zimbabwean national standards. A pre‑export verification of conformity of the listed products is carried out in the country of export, and a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is issued. The assessment involves "confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that requirements of the applicable standards have been fulfilled through one or more of the following tasks: shipment inspection, verification of documentation, sample testing and risk assessment". According to the authorities, the CBCA Programme accepts certified products from well-known brands, as long as reports and/or certification documents from an accredited third party are provided; in that case, there is no testing, but the fees are still payable

3.85.  Bureau Veritas was appointed by the MIC to assess, in the exporting country concerned, the conformity of goods with national standards. At the port of entry, the ZIMRA will require a CoC for the products concerned; consignments are otherwise reshipped at the importer's cost. However, waivers have been issued by the MIC when the CoC is missing (S.I. 132 of 2015). There was no border inspection in Zimbabwe in November 2019

3.86.  The CBCA Programme contains a complex fee schedule (Table 3.15). The fees for verification and inspection by the "assessment agent" are levied in ad valorem terms, but the rates vary according to the "applicable facilitation route", and rates are subject to a minimum (USD 250) and a maximum (USD 2,675) per consignment. It appears that the minimum fee of USD 250 would be high for imports when applied to the minimum merchandise value of USD 1,000. Moreover, WTO principles provide that fees should be proportional to the cost of the service rendered, which calls, in principle, for flat fees

3.87.  The applicable facilitation routes for assessment are determined by the Assessment Agent (Veritas), taking into consideration the supporting documentation provided by the exporter. The fees (Table 3.15) cover the documentary verification and inspection of goods only; they do not cover laboratory testing, sealing of containers, or registration and licensing of products. Testing services are charged directly by the Assessment Agent, on a case-by-case basis

3.88.  According to the authorities, inspections for compliance with technical regulations are carried out both at the border and in the domestic market. Customs officers may only intervene upon receipt of directives from line ministries. Zimbabwe does not have a single market surveillance system in place, but surveillance is carried out by different government bodies, such as the SAZ (e.g. water, bricks, and cement), the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (food products). The MIC is also in the process of formulating the National Quality Infrastructure Policy and drafting the National Compulsory Specifications Bill to strengthen the national quality system. The objective of the Bill is to establish and administer compulsory specifications and other technical regulations, with a view to protecting human health, safety, and the environment

3.89.  The SAZ operates several ISO certification schemes and HACCP schemes, including for quality management systems (ISO 9001); environmental management systems (ISO 14001); occupational health and safety management systems (ISO 45001); and food safety management systems (ISO22000 and HACCP). The SAZ also operates product certification schemes, which include products such as packaged drinking water (other than natural mineral water). ZWS ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certification schemes are accredited by both the SADCAS and the South African National Accreditation System. The SAZ is also licensed under the ARSO to certify forestry and agricultural products under the ECOMARK Africa Sustainability Eco-labelling Scheme, to enable products to be marketed globally

3.90.  Furthermore, the SAZ promotes the use of standards through product and systems certification. To date, the following certifications have been achieved: ISO 9001 (137 companies), ISO 14000 (31 companies), ISO 45001 (24 companies), ISO 22000 (8 companies) and HACCP (4 companies). This represents a small percentage of the companies and manufactured products. The SAZ continues to support the development of a National Quality Policy and a regulatory framework that promotes systems and product certification, which would foster a culture of manufacturing of quality products for competing in export markets.[116]

3.91.  The SAZ maintains laboratory and testing facilities in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. The Chemical and Food Technology Laboratories offer comprehensive chemical, physical, and microbiological analyses, inspection, and advisory services to meet customer requirements. The SAZ is accredited by the SADCAS to ISO IEC 17025 for water and fuel testing. The SAZ's engineering laboratories provide the following services: non-destructive testing, inspection services, electrical engineering and electronics, solar testing, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, packaging testing, and calibration services. The inspection of boilers and pressure vessels is accredited to ISO IEC 17020 by the SADCAS. The SAZ also operates a specialized High-performance Liquid Chromatography Laboratory at the Head Office in Harare, which offers tests mainly for the food industry for contaminants such as aflatoxins, herbicides and pesticides in grains and horticulture produce

3.92.  With regard to environmental measures, Zimbabwe has signed five environmental conventions, the Climate Change Convention, and desertification conventions. The Environmental Management Agency was established in 2007 under the Environmental Management Act of 2003. It is in charge of environmental impact assessments, including for mining projects (Section 4.2.1), ecosystem protection, water standards, air pollution, and chemicals management. On the ground, it has officers that deal with water, air, and chemical pollutions. Since 2011, six border posts have been opened