imported products bearing quantity or measurement mark · marnewj@nrcs.org.za • suscilia maree...

LEGAL METROLOGY  

Imported products bearing quantity or measurement mark

INTRODUCTION

•  Government is overall responsible for protecting the health, safety and the environment citizens, and for ensuring fair trade.

•  NRCS is a public entity responsible to the Minister of Trade and Industry for the administration of TECHNICAL REGULATIONS and compulsory specifications based on STANDARDS.

•  Legal Metrology is a division within the NRCS responsible for ensuring fair trade and the traceability of measurements in trade.

MANDATE

   The mandate of the Trade Metrology Division is to ensure the appropriate quality and credibility of measurements made in trade through: •  contributing to the orderly conduct of commerce, •  the protection of all participants in the market of goods and services •  the promotion of consumer and international confidence in trade measurements, •  ensuring equity and correctness in all trade and legal dealings where measuring instruments are used as a basis for the transaction.

ACTIVITIES

•  Administration of the Trade Metrology Act and Regulations (Act 77 of 1973)

•  Type approval of measuring instruments •  Market surveillance

–  Prepackaged goods –  Instruments

•  Designation of accredited laboratories to verify measuring instruments •  Calibration of verification standards •  Verification and re-verification of measuring instruments •  Input to development of Technical Regulations •  International / Regional liaison

EXAMPLES OF LEGAL METROLOGY ACTIVITIES

LABELLING REQUIREMENTS FOR PREPACKAGES SANS 289

•  Standard  (based  on  SADCMEL  Doc  1)  covers  labelling  of  prepackages  with  respect  to:  –  IdenAty  of  product  (Clause  3)  –  Name  and  place  of  business  of  manufacturer,  packer,  distributor  or  

retailer  (Clause  4)  –  Net  quanAty  of  the  product  (Clause  5)  –  General  requirements    

•  Expression  of  quanAty  by  mass,  volume,  length  and  area  (Clause  5.3  and  Annex  A)  •  Product  specific  requirements  (Annex  C)  •  ExempAons  from  quanAty  indicaAon  (Annex  D)  •  PresentaAon  of  informaAon  (Clause  5.5  and  Annex  B)  •  Prescribed  quanAAes  (Clause  5.7  and  Annex  E)  

–  Misleading  pracAces  •  Slack  fill,  false  boRoms,  %  fill  of  aerosol  containers  

TOLERANCES PERMITTED FOR THE ACCURACY OF MEASUREMENTS OF PRODUCTS - SANS 458

•  Standard  (based  on  SADCMEL  Doc  4)  covers  requirements  for:  –  Accuracy  of  measurements  

•  Taken  from  bulk  and  measured  at  the  Ame  of  sale    •  Prepackages  made  up  for  sale  on  the  retail  premises  from  which  they  are  sold  

using  a  suitable  instrument  •  Prepackages  other  than  those  above  (three  packing  rules)  

–  Average  requirement  (average  actual  quanAty  =  nominal  quanAty)  –  Individual  prepackage  requirement  (not  more  than  2,5  %  prepackages  shall  have  a  negaAve  error  

exceeding  the  tolerable  deficiency  +  no  prepackage  shall  have  a  negaAve  error  exceeding  twice  the  tolerable  deficiency)  

Must  be  correct  at  any  level  of  distribuAon  –  point-­‐of-­‐pack,  during  import,  distribuAon  and  wholesale  transacAons  and  retail  sale  

–  Sampling  plans  and  procedures  for  use  by  LM  officials  –  ExaminaAon  of  the  quanAty  of  product  in  prepackages  –  DesiccaAng  products  and  foodstuff  packed  in  a  liquid  medium  

SCHEMES TO ENSURE MORE EFFECTUAL CARRYING OUT OF THE OBJECTS AND PURPOSES OF THE ACT

• ℮  -­‐mark  scheme  (SANS  1841)  •  To  control  the  quanAty  of  content  in  prepackaged  goods    

–  Prepackages  saAsfy  the  three  packing  rules  

• Э  -­‐mark  scheme  (SANS  1840)  •  The  control  of  measuring  container  boRles    

–  BoRles  can  be  filled  without  the  need  to  measure  independently  

•  Through  these  schemes  manufacturers  are  allowed  freedom  to  “self-­‐regulate”  

REQUIREMENTS FOR MARK SCHEMES

•  Regulation 28 to 32 of the Regulations for the Sale of Goods (R 517 of 21 June 2007) gives requirements for these schemes

•  Application for a registration certificate to apply mark must be made to Director

•  Marks can only be applied to prepackages or MCB’s that comply to requirements and for which a registration certificate has been issued

REQUIREMENTS FOR MARK SCHEMES

•  Approximately 80 local manufacturers have registered with NRCS to apply mark

•  Requirements never excluded importers –  never enthusiastically enforced

•  Guidance has now been developed for importers who wishes to apply the ℮  and  Э  marks

•  Importers can register from June 2013 •  All importers should be registered by 31 December 2013

–  Failing the registration, a PoS will be issued for the product(s)

ONCE-OFF IMPORTATION

•  Once-off importation

–  Prohibition of Sale (PoS)(Marking requirements) –  Completed application form –  Inspectors reference test (IRT) –  Billed accordingly –  IRT complies

•  Issue registration certificate for consignment

–  Release PoS

CONTINUED IMPORTATION – OVERSEAS MANUFACTURER REGISTERED BY LEGAL METROLOGY AUTHORITY

•  Continued importation – Overseas manufacturer registered by a legal metrology authority –  Prohibition of Sale (PoS)(Marking requirements) –  Completed application form –  Letter of registration from legal metrology authority –  Product list –  Description of product life cycle –  Pre-notification system to be in place (identified storage

and distribution facility) –  Person responsible for record keeping –  Retention plan for records –  Issue Registration Certificate and bill accordingly (2 to 4

visits per year)

CONTINUED IMPORTATION – OVERSEAS MANUFACTURER REGISTERED BY LEGAL METROLOGY AUTHORITY

•  Continued importation – Overseas manufacturer registered by a legal metrology authority –  Inspectors reference test (IRT)(5 % of products) –  IRT complies

•  Release PoS

–  IRT does not comply •  Additional PoS issued with respect to short measure •  Product returned to country of origin/ destroyed •  Root cause analysis required before further importation is allowed •  Product “blacklisting” considered

CONTINUED IMPORTATION – OVERSEAS MANUFACTURER CLAIMS COMPLIANCE

•  Continued importation – Overseas manufacturer claims compliance –  Prohibition of Sale (PoS)(Marking requirements) –  Completed application form –  Declaration of compliance from manufacturer (per batch) –  Records of actual production checks (per batch) –  Product list –  Description of product life cycle –  Pre-notification system to be in place (identified storage

and distribution facility) –  Person responsible for record keeping –  Retention plan for records

CONTINUED IMPORTATION – OVERSEAS MANUFACTURER CLAIMS COMPLIANCE

•  Continued importation – Overseas manufacturer claims compliance –  Issue Registration Certificate and bill accordingly (at least 4

visits per year) –  Inspectors reference test (IRT)(10 % of products) –  IRT complies

•  Release PoS

–  IRT does not comply •  Additional PoS issued with respect to short measure •  Product returned to country of origin/ destroyed •  Root cause analysis required before further importation is allowed •  Product “blacklisting” considered

BENEFITS

•  “Illegal” use of marks curtailed •  Greater confidence ensured to consumers

CONTACT  DETAILS:  REGIONAL  OFFICES  

•  Jaco Marneweck – Snr Manager Inspections

marnewj@nrcs.org.za •  Suscilia Maree – Manager Free State/ EC

mareesm@nrcs.org.za 082 570 8529/051-447 4408

•  Tony Konigkramer – Manager Kwazulu Natal 083 632 3244 konigkaf@nrcs.org.za

•  Ivan Willis – Manager Western Cape 021-526 3400 willisic@nrcs.org.za

•  Tshiamo Maletswa – Manager Gauteng maletsat@nrcs.org.za

012-428 7003 •  Tshepo Segage – Manager Gauteng

segagtt@nrcs.org.za 012-428 6260

QUESTIONS?

       Thanks  for  listening