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

3.68.  In 2018, ESG became the national standards and accreditation body, taking over this function from SPRING Singapore. ESG is responsible for developing, promoting, and reviewing standards; overseeing the safety of consumer goods; and providing quality assurance infrastructure. It is also in charge of publishing Singapore Standards (SSs) and Technical References (TRs)[103], representing the country in regional and international standards bodies, and managing the weights and measures system. Aside from this institutional change, Singapore's regime concerning standards and technical regulations remained unchanged during the review period

3.69.  For the purposes of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, Singapore has three national enquiry points: ESG (previously SPRING Singapore), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. During the review period, Singapore regularly submitted notifications to the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Committee) concerning its technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.[104] No measure adopted by Singapore was the object of specific trade concerns raised by other WTO Members in the TBT Committee during the review period

3.70.  Alignment of national standards to international standards remains a core principle of Singapore's standardization policy. Singapore encourages the adoption of international standards whenever possible. SSs and TRs are developed when international standards do not exist or where there is a need to customize standards to meet unique domestic requirements. In certain cases, SSs have themselves developed into international standards, such as those related to bunkering and to the water efficiency management system. As at the end of December 2020, Singapore had a total of 821 standards, of which 448 were adopted from international standards

3.71.  Singapore participates actively in global and regional standards-setting fora, with the aim of promoting international cooperation and facilitating trade through mutual recognition agreements among national regulators. Singapore is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)[105], the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)[106], the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It has hosted the IEC's Asia-Pacific Regional Centre since 2002. At the regional level, Singapore is represented in the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Subcommittee for Standards and Conformance (SCSC), and the Pacific Area Standards Congress

3.72.  ESG administers the national standardization programme and appoints the Singapore Standards Council (SSC). The SSC leads and facilitates the development of SSs and TRs, through a private-public partnership, including representatives of industry, government agencies, academia, and professional and consumer bodies. The SSC set up several industry-specific standards committees to carry out the development of standards in particular sectors.[107] A proposal to develop a new standard or to review an existing standard may be submitted to ESG by stakeholders such as industry associations, companies, institutes of higher learning, or government agencies. The proposal is then assessed by the relevant standards committee, which will set up a working group to prepare a draft standard. The draft SS is released for public comment for a 60-day period. Comments received during this period may be incorporated into the draft SS if deemed appropriate by the standards committee.[108] Upon approval by the SSC, the standard is published in the National Gazette. SSs are reviewed every five years on average, upon support by the SSC and approval by ESG, to ensure that they remain relevant to the needs of regulators and industry; as a result of the review, they may be confirmed, revised, amended, or withdrawn

3.73.  Technical regulations are developed by the relevant government regulators of specific sectors or areas. An SS becomes a technical regulation (i.e. mandatory) when it is referenced by an Act or Regulation. As at end-2020, about 270 standards were referred to in technical regulations, mainly in the following sectors: consumer, household and industrial appliances/machinery, telecommunications, electrical and electronic products, medical and pharmaceutical products, food, and hazardous substances

3.74.  ESG is also the authority responsible for administering the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR) and the Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods Safety Requirements) Regulations (CGSR), which aim to protect consumers from unsafe consumer goods

3.75.  The CPSR regulates specific categories of household electrical, electronic, and gas appliances included on a list of "Controlled Goods". These products must meet applicable safety requirements through pre-market testing, certification, and registration, and be affixed with the SAFETY Mark before they can be supplied, displayed, and/or advertised in Singapore. A Suppliers Declaration of Conformity may be accepted for certain categories of Controlled Goods considered to be of relatively lower risk. An amendment to the CPSR, effective from 15 January 2018, removed obsolete goods from the list of Controlled Goods, resulting in a reduction from 45 product categories to 33. The list is reviewed every three to five years

3.76.  The CGSR regulates many other general consumer goods, such as toys, children's products, apparel, sports and recreation products, furniture, mattresses and bedding, and "do‑it‑yourself" tools. For these products, compliance with specified safety requirements is verified through post‑market surveillance activities. Prior testing, certification, or approval is not required

3.77.  ESG has the power to stop the sale of consumer goods that do not meet applicable safety standards, and it may also order suppliers to recall such products or inform consumers of the potential dangers thereof. Non-compliance with requirements is subject to a fine of up to SGD 10,000 and/or imprisonment for a maximum term of two years

3.78.  Other consumer products are subject to the safety requirements established by other regulatory agencies, including the Singapore Food Agency, the Health Sciences Authority, the Land Transport Authority, the Traffic Police, and the National Environment Agency

3.79.  Controlled Goods must be registered on the basis of a certificate of conformity issued by a designated conformity assessment body. ESG implements a third-party certification scheme under which it accepts certificates from designated conformity assessment bodies that are: (i) located in Singapore; (ii) in a country/customs territory specified in the First Schedule of the Enterprise Singapore Board (Conformity Assessment) Regulations 2018[109], or (iii) in a country/customs territory that has an MRA with Singapore

3.80.  ESG will consider applications for designation only from conformity assessment bodies that have been accredited either as a product certification body (ISO/IEC 17065) or a product testing body (ISO/IEC 17025)

3.81.  The Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC), under ESG, is responsible for the accreditation of conformity assessment bodies. Accreditation is voluntary and based on international standards. Local and foreign conformity assessment bodies may be accredited by the SAC

3.82.  The SAC provides independent assessment and formal recognition of conformity assessment services such as testing, calibration, certification, inspection, and related activities, performed by auditing organizations, management system certification bodies, product certification bodies, personnel certification bodies, laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, and validation and verification bodies. It also administers the Singapore Good Laboratory Practice Compliance Programme.[110]

3.83.  Over the past few years, the SAC developed the following new accreditation programmes: Information Security Management Systems, Industrial Automation and Control Systems Cybersecurity Certification, Organic Primary Produce, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, and Greenhouse Gas Validation and Verification. The latter, launched in August 2018, aims to support the aviation industry for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation initiated by the International Civil Aviation Organization

3.84.  The SAC is a signatory to 26 regional and international MRAs covering more than 100 economies. The MRAs include those signed in the framework of the Asia-Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)[111], the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, the International Accreditation Forum, and the OECD's Good Laboratory Practice Compliance Programme. These MRAs allow signatories to recognize as equivalent to their own standards the accredited test reports and certifications issued by overseas partners, avoiding the need for exporters to duplicate testing and certification procedures in destination markets. Since 2016, 13 new MRAs have been concluded in areas such as environmental management systems, information management systems, and medical devices management systems

3.85.  Labelling requirements apply to Controlled Goods (33 household electrical, electronic, and gas appliances) and to imported food (Section 3.3.3), medicinal products, liquors, and paints and solvents. Labels must specify the country of origin

3.86.  ESG administers the SAFETY Mark label, which helps consumers and suppliers identify registered Controlled Goods. The products are individually marked with the SAFETY Mark either on the product or the packaging. Products bearing the SAFETY Mark can also be traced with a unique 8‑digit registration number to the registrant and the registered models

3.87.  Labelling requirements apply to therapeutic products, as mandated in relevant legislation, and are subject to the Health Sciences Authority's surveillance programme. The label must include the name of the product, quantitative particulars of the active ingredient, batch control number, expiry date, and the registration number assigned to the registered therapeutic product.[112] There are other administrative (i.e. non-statutory) labelling requirements, which are specified in the Guidance on Therapeutic Product Registration in Singapore. Compliance is checked during the product registration process, prior to the granting of marketing approval.[113]