3.68.  The WTO SPS Enquiry Point operates at the National Plant Protection Office (NPPO) of the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security (MAIFS), while the International Trade Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade (MFARIIT) functions as the SPS notification authority. Mauritius has submitted seven SPS notifications since 2014. No specific concerns regarding Mauritius' SPS measures were raised in the WTO SPS Committee. COVID‑19‑related restrictions on imports of live animals and fish from certain countries were lifted on 22 May 2020.[96]

3.69.  Mauritius is a member of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). At the regional level, Mauritius is cooperating with other members of COMESA, the SADC, and the African Union to arrive at a common policy on SPS measures and for taking action on a regional level

3.70.  The Ministry of Health and Wellness controls the importation, manufacture, processing, storage, and sale of food, drinks, and certain chemicals. Generally, no SPS import permit is required by the Ministry on the importation of food and drinks. However, for six products/product groups listed in the third schedule of Food Regulation 1999 (as amended in 2017), a pre-market approval permit is required from the Ministry's Food Import Unit (Table 3.11)

3.71.  The Food Act 1998 and Food Regulations 1999 are under review. According to the authorities, a new regulatory framework for food safety is under development

3.72.  The Animal Diseases Act 1925 governs, inter alia, procedures for the importation of animals (including verification, control, and quarantine).[97] The Animal Diseases Act is to be reviewed with a view to replacing it with an Animal Health Bill. The new Bill is still in the drafting stage

3.73.  Import permits are required from the Veterinary Division of the MAIFS for imports of live animals, animal foodstuffs, and meat. The Import Permit Committee of the MAIFS, which had the final authority to issue permits, was abolished in August 2019. However, import permits are issued by the Veterinary Division for processed poultry products

3.74.  Imports of fish and fish products are regulated by the Fish and Fish Products Regulations 2012; import permits are issued by the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping

3.75.  To date, Mauritius has not achieved freedom from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). It had an outbreak of FMD in 2016 on Rodrigues Island

3.76.  The phytosanitary requirements for imports (and exports) of plants and plant products are governed by the Plant Protection Act. The Act and the Plant Regulations were amended several times to facilitate trade. A plant import permit is now required to remove an article from a freeport zone. Other amendments were made regarding inspections, duty of notification on arrival, export phytosanitary certificates, and re-export phytosanitary certificates

3.77.  Plant import permits issued by the NPPO are required for plants and plant parts and various other regulated items.[98] In total, they apply to 426 tariff lines. A permit is required for each consignment; it is valid for four months and subject to a fee of MUR 100 (USD 2.5).[99] In some cases, a permit will only be granted for imports of a certain commodity during a specified time of the year: for example, under a phytosanitary import protocol concluded between Pakistan and Mauritius, imports of Pakistani mangoes into Mauritius are permitted only during the off-season. For some sensitive products, such as certain vegetables where there is nascent domestic production, import volumes may be specified in import permits. However, there is no limitation on the number of import permits that may be applied for. Permits are issued within three to five working days for commodities that are regularly imported. The process takes longer for applications to import moderate- to high‑risk commodities for the first time, as the NPPO needs to undertake a pest-risk analysis. The NPPO has removed import permit requirements for some low-risk commodities, such as processed and frozen products

3.78.  Imported plants, plant products, and other regulated articles are subject to phytosanitary clearance by the NPPO Plant Quarantine Service, either at the point of entry or at the final destination. Importation of high-risk planting materials may be subject to post-entry quarantine. Selected agricultural commodities may be subject to phytosanitary treatment (heat and fumigation) prior to shipment to Mauritius

3.79.  Mauritius introduced new legislation regulating the use of pesticides, based on Codex standards for food additives and contaminants (Use of Pesticides Bill, 2018), which entered into force in September 2018. The main objective of the law is to regulate, control, and monitor imports and the use of pesticides in or on certain fresh fruits, plants, seeds, or vegetables with a view to, inter alia, minimizing risks to human health and the environment.[100]

3.80.  Mauritius enacted the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Act in 2004, which entered into force partially in 2005 (Parts I-V).[101] A National Biosafety Committee was set up to develop regulations on imports, exports, and transit of GMOs. The GMO Act 2004 is currently subject to review by the National Biosafety Committee, which is seeking the legal vetting of the State Law Office. According to the authorities, any proposed changes to the GMO regime will be notified to the WTO

3.58.  The institutional and legal framework governing standards development in Mauritius has remained unchanged since the previous Review. The MSB operates under the oversight of the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives. The MSB is a corporate body that has been set up under the Mauritius Standards Bureau Act 1993 (last amended in 1999) with decision‑making authority vested upon the Board (the Standards Council), which provides the policy and strategic direction of the MSB. The MSB is the national standards body and is responsible for providing conformity assessment services including metrology, testing, and certification of management systems and products. The MSB is also the Government's TBT Enquiry Point, while the International Trade Division of the MFARIIT is the TBT National Notification Authority. During the review period (2014-21), Mauritius submitted 11 notifications to the WTO.[88] No specific trade concerns were raised in the WTO TBT Committee about Mauritius' technical regulations

3.59.  The MSB is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), and is beneficiary under the Affiliate Country Programme of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). As a member of ISO, the MSB collaborates for the development of ISO standards and strategy by participating and voting in ISO technical and policy meetings.[89] The MSB is also actively involved in regional standardization with ARSO for the development and harmonization of standards

3.60.  As at April 2021, Mauritius had 875 standards in place, of which 20% were Mauritian standards, 67% were international standards, and 13% were European standards; 89 of the 875 Mauritian Standards are adoptions of African Regional Standards (ARS) harmonized by ARSO. The subject matter of these standards is set out in the 2021 Standards Catalogue. The MSB is responsible for the formulation of voluntary national standards. Standards development is carried out by technical committees composed of experts from industrial, technical, and business sectors (industries), as well as representatives of the Government, consumer organizations, NGOs, academia, and conformity assessment organizations. There are presently 16 standards committees covering a wide range of technical fields and about 20 subcommittees. The MSB publishes a work programme twice a year with its standards development activities. The main focus areas of standards development since 2014 have been good agricultural practice (MAURIGAP), food safety, tourism, energy efficiency of electrical appliances, safety and security, environmental management, sustainable cities and communities, road traffic and railway management, information and communications technology, personal protective equipment, and circular economy

3.61.  Technical regulations are developed, prepared, and issued by ministries, government departments, and regulators within their respective areas of responsibility. Ministers may, by public notice, declare a standard to be a mandatory standard through regulations after consideration of any written objection filed with the MSB. Announcements of technical regulations are published in the Government Gazette.[90] According to the authorities, the entities most active in this area are those responsible for commerce, industry, health, agro-industry, energy, and the environment

3.62.  Mauritius does not maintain a consolidated list of technical regulations in force. Some 100 technical regulations (mandatory standards) are referred to in legislation. Information on regulatory requirements affecting imports of all products may be found on the Mauritius Trade Portal.[91]

3.63.  In line with one objective of Government Programme 2020-2024 to make Mauritius a plastic‑free country, the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change adopted specific measures to ban certain types of plastic products and plastic bags: According to the Environment Protection (Control of Single Use Plastic Products) Regulations 2020, single-use plastic products will be banned in stages, depending on the product, starting from 15 January 2021.[92] Only those biodegradable single-use plastic products specified in the regulations may be imported or manufactured. Importers and manufacturers of biodegradable single-use products must be registered with the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change (MUR 10,000 registration fee), and imports require a permit (clearance). Non-biodegradable plastic bags have been banned since 1 January 2016 under the Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2015. These regulations were repealed, and new Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020 entered into force on 1 March 2021.[93] Accordingly, the use, manufacture, sale, and imports and exports of plastic bags are banned, subject to certain exemptions (e.g. plastic bags designed to be used for the disposal of waste, including quarantine and clinical waste). Importers and manufacturers of exempt or biodegradable plastic bags are subject to registration with the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, and imports require a permit

3.64.  Imports of products subject to technical regulations are subject to clearance from the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection, on their arrival at the border. The MSB is responsible for verifying conformity certificates accompanying these imports. If a product has been certified by a recognized body (i.e. an accredited body), no local certification is needed; if not, testing is carried out by the MSB. Testing fees levied by the MSB vary between MUR 800 and MUR 10,000. Import inspections are generally done by the MSB, but are also carried out by the MAIFS (Division of Veterinary Services), the Ministry of Health and Wellness (Health Inspectorate), and the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection

3.65.  The accreditation body MAURITAS is responsible for providing accreditation to conformity assessment bodies, such as certification bodies, inspection bodies, and testing and calibration laboratories.[94] Since October 2018, MAURITAS has been a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA) and the International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (IAF MLA). It is a member of the Mutual Recognition Arrangements of the Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation (SADCA) and of the African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC)

3.66.  The MSB operates a third-party certification mark scheme (MAURICERT). Businesses (including foreign companies) whose products and processes meet the requirements of the relevant Mauritian standard may apply for a licence to use the MSB Certification Mark.[95] Prior to awarding a licence, the MSB conducts a preliminary visit to ensure the adequacy of the company's quality plan and of its implementation, and to test samples. Testing is undertaken by MSB laboratories or other accredited private sector laboratories. Licences are awarded for two years (renewable), and the Bureau conducts regular surveillance visits (around four to six visits a year)

3.67.  Labelling requirements apply to pre-packed goods (under the Legal Metrology (Pre‑packed Commodities) Regulations 2006)