relative file path for layout
Skip to main content  Skip to search  Skip to main menu
Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : Ref : EIC 111/2, EIC 111/4

19 January 2009

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 44/2009

US : Final Rule on Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling 

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) published in the Federal Register (FR) notice of 15 January 2009 a final rule to set forth the regulatory details of the mandatory country of origin labelling (COOL). The final rule will be effective on 16 March 2009.

 

DETAILS

 

  1.  
  2. This final rule is issued pursuant to the US Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, the US 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the US Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 which amended the US Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of covered commodities. Covered commodities include muscle cuts of beef (including veal), lamb, chicken, goat, and pork; ground beef, ground lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, and ground pork; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; perishable agricultural commodities; macadamia nuts; pecans; ginseng; and peanuts. Commodities covered under COOL must be labelled at retail to indicate its country of origin. 
     
  3. In gist, the final rule contains definitions, specific criteria that must be met for a covered commodity to bear a "United States country of origin" declaration, markings, recordkeeping requirements for retailers and suppliers, exemptions, and requirements for labelling country of origin for imported products.
     
  4. Due to bulkiness of the final rule, it is not appended to this circular for reference. A copy of the FR notice can be downloaded from: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-600.pdf. Traders are advised to visit USDA's website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/COOL for the latest information about the implementation of mandatory COOL. Traders are also strongly advised to seek clarifications with their importers in the US in order to comply with the necessary requirements.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,




(Miss Bonny CHAO)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry