FOR YOUR INFORMATION
We share below a number of recent developments. As always, we rely on FIVS Members to apprise us of noteworthy matters. Please contact the FIVS Secretariat with items that may be of interest.
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
- Labelling
- Australia/New Zealand – Rejection of mandatory pregnancy warning labels: We reported in our 02 April FIVS Alert that government ministers responsible for food regulation had reportedly rejected a new mandatory pregnancy warning label released last February by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). To be more accurate, while rejecting the proposal as unnecessarily costly, the authoritative Ministerial Forum reiterated its support for the idea of pregnancy warning labels. FSANZ has been given three months to complete a review and submit another proposal to the relevant governmental authorities.
- United States – TTB issues a final ruling on labelling: As reported in the 02 April 2020 FIVS Alert, the Alcohol Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published a final rule to address certain proposals included in Notice 176, Modernization of the Labelling and Advertising Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages. The Distilled Spirits of the United States (DISCUS) has kindly shared this detailed TTB modernisation final rule summary chart outlining the current rules impacted by this action, the rules as revised, and TTB’s discussion and responses that clarify the thinking related to these changes. DISCUS also compiled this chart describing proposals still under consideration and those that have been discarded.
- Trade
- United States – Relief from tariff hikes: During an interview with Jonathan Ferro of Bloomberg, U.S. National Economic Council Director Lawrence Kudlow said the Trump Administration had not seriously considered rolling back tariff payments, deciding that action would be too complicated and might send “the wrong signals.” He concluded the interview, however, by hedging somewhat, saying there would be “no tariff pullback right now.”
- Underage drinking
- Tanzania – Zanzibar House of Representatives bill would raise the minimum drinking age: On 03 April, the Zanzibar House of Representatives reportedly tabled the Alcohol Control Bill 2020 which stipulates that consumers would have to be over 25 to purchase and consume alcohol. This bill would also appear to prohibit any person or institution from manufacturing or producing alcohol beverages in Zanzibar, as well as the employment of anyone under the age of 25 to sell alcohol.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
- WHO releases a timetable for its global action plan on alcohol: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently released a timetable for the development of an action plan to implement its global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Among other things, this effort reportedly includes proposed curbs on advertising, marketing, and promotional activities. The timeline sets out when the WHO expects to complete its work on alcohol matters in conformity with the WHO’s Executive Board decision in February. It is expected that the WHO will engage in further dialogue with other international organisations, non-state actors, and other stakeholders later this year and early next year.