By Alicia Ng, Food Industry Asia

2. Overview of Common Technical
Barriers to Trade in ASEAN
Alicia Ng, FIA

3. www.foodindustry.asia
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4. www.foodindustry.asia
TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
IMPACT MULTI-STAKEHOLDERS
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• Create complexities in the entire supply chain
• Cause delays in imports & exports
• Reduce product availability
• Incur extra costs – reformulation, manufacturing, product
release, certifications, transportation
• Disincentivise R&D
• Create an unlevel playing field
• Reduce regional competitiveness

5. www.foodindustry.asia
BENEFITS OF REGULATORY
HARMONISATION
• Cost benefits for all stakeholders (industry, government &
consumers)
• Clarity of information to consumers & industry
• Increased product availability
• Incentives for investments in ASEAN
• Incentives for R&D and protection of trade secrets
• Increase ASEAN competitiveness in global market
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OBJECTIVES OF ADDRESSING
TRADE BARRIERS
Accelerate harmonisation, through more
wide-spread use of international standards
and industry self-regulation
Promote a risk-oriented, science-based
approach to standards
Improve multi-stakeholder dialogues on
regulatory developments that might impact
business
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• Mapping current political drivers, trade
negotiations & other influencers
• Who? Where? What?
Phase 1
• Identify types of TBTs faced by the
industry in ASEAN +3
• Prioritise 2 or 3 key TBTs
Phase 2
• Detailed industry engagement plan
• Proactively engage in order to accelerate
& influence harmonisation
Phase 3
Regulatory Harmonisation

8. www.foodindustry.asia
Publication on Regulatory
Harmonisation Landscape in ASEAN

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CAPTURING COMMON TBT’S IN THE FOOD
PRODUCTION & SUPPLY VALUE CHAIN
Food primary production
Food ingredient suppliers
Food manufacturers
Food service & retailers

10. www.foodindustry.asia
KEY TBT’S ENCOUNTERED BY FIA
MEMBERS
TBTs
Authorisation
of new
ingredients,
food additives,
flavours
Compositional
standards
General
labellingContaminant
limits
Product
registration;
Import & export
certification
Halal
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Analytical
methods Nutrition
labelling

11. www.foodindustry.asia
HORIZONTAL FOOD SAFETY RELATED TBTS
ARE MOST PROMINENT ACROSS THE
ENTIRE SUPPLY VALUE CHAIN
Key TBTS identified Ingredient
/ flavour industry
Food
manufacturers
Food Service
industry
Food Safety
Chemical contaminants (esp.heavy metals) √ √ √
Microbiological contaminants √ √ √
Analytical methods √ √ √
Food additives, flavours, new ingredients √ √
Food Information to consumers
Generally labelling √ √
Ingredient declaration √ √
Nutrition Labelling √
Nutrition & health claims √
Product registrations √ √
Compositional standards & classification √ √

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FIA PUBLICATION –
4 MOST COMPELLING TBT CASE STUDIES

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• We have reached the point to start knocking the doors of
our stakeholders in ASEAN & its member states as one
industry voice
• We would like to call upon industry colleagues in ASEAN
countries to work hand in hand in harmonisation of food
standards in ASEAN and the removal of technical barriers to
trade
Conclusion

14. AFRIS. AsianFoodRegulationInformationService.
We have the largest database of Asian food regulations in the world and it’s
FREE to use.
We publish a range of communication services, list a very large number of
food events and online educational webinars and continue to grow our Digital
Library.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
www.asianfoodreg.com
adrienna@asianfoodreg.com