Seminar on Impending Restrictions

THE National Chamber of Sri Lanka will hold a seminar on Impending Restrictions Imposed by E.U. and other WTO member countries on Major Sri Lankan exports such as Tea, desiccated coconut, Cinnamon and other food products exported to the USA and EU countries.

The seminar/workshop will be held on Wednesday 21st June 2006 from 2.00pm - 6.00 pm in the Chamber auditorium, 4th Floor, NCCSL Building, 450, D R Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10.

Export of Tea, Desiccated Coconut, Cinnamon and other Food Products to USA and EU countries will become difficult unless our tea factories obtain Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point - HACCP certificates before 1st July 2006.

For Cinnamon the exporters will have to reduce the use of sulphur dioxide ( So2 ) level to 150 ppm to avoid any restrictions by exporting countries. DC and other products also need standards and packaging requirements according to SPS and TBT Agreements.

EU countries and the USA have made the HACCP certificate mandatory and the deadline given ended on 31st December 2005 and extended for a further period of 6 months up to July 1st 2006.

Restrictions impending under Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures (SPS), Restrictions placed on standard and packaging requirements on products to be exported under Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement and Ways of finding funds required for HACCP certifications will be discussed in detail at the seminar.

The following resource persons will address different issues pertaining to HACCP certifications.