Resolution of the National Food Safety Authority No. 7 of 2020 on the risk-based food import control system.

This Resolution consisting of 21 articles aims to (i) develop food import control systems; (ii) provide optimum protection to the consumer from risks related to the imported song; (iii) enhance the efficiency of the final release of food imports by adopting preventive measures based on the degree of risk. The risk-based control system applies to all food imports excluding (i) incoming food for personal use; (ii) gifts, giveaways, advertising; (iii) airline meals; (iv) food destined for immediate reloading such as transit in Egypt; (v) food addressed to the sustenance of workers in the Egyptian armed forces; (vii) food samples that are received for analysis in Egyptian laboratories; (viii) fish caught from Lake Nasser, as well as the fish caught by the fishing fleets carrying the Egyptian flag and operating on the high seas. The main targets of adopting a risk-based system and international best practices in controlling food imports are (i) enhancing consumer protection, (ii) supporting operators of food establishments, (iii) facilitating the access of food imports to the Egyptian market, and (iv) stimulating best practices among food manufacturers and importers. The basic principles of the system shall be (i) issuing decisions commensurate with determining the level of risk of food imports; (ii) non-discriminatory treatment between imported and local food; (iii) transparency in the issuance of decisions related to the food import control system.
To import food, any food establishment has to obtain a license from the Authority and fulfill the specified requirements (art.6). The handling of imported food is banned in the following cases (i) food included in the import-prohibited food list; (ii) not complying with the food safety and quality requirements issued by the Authority; (iii) harmful to health in the country of production or origin; (iv) food imports are also prohibited if they contain food unfit for human consumption (art.5). Articles 7 and 8 deal respectively with the responsibilities of the National Food Safety Authority and the rights and obligations of food importers. Food imports are subject to a system of sampling and risk-based examination, provided that prior notification is given of the incoming food consignment to the authority, and that all requirements and controls are fulfilled in advance.