Policy Picks: The present day on regulatory updates in South East Asia, the Middle East, Taiwan and more

Oman’s new taxes, Malaysia and Brunei’s White Rabbit candy non-halal debate, Taiwan’s tightened regulations for egg imports and greater function in this edition of Policy Picks.
More tax in the Middle East: Oman joins Saudi and Qatar in introducing a tax on strength and smooth liquids
Oman is becoming a member of other GCC states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar in implementing a selective tax on electricity liquids, soft liquids, alcoholic liquids, and tobacco.
Similar to Qatar, it has brought beef meat into the listing of items to be taxed.
The tax fee for tobacco, beef, alcoholic beverages, and power beverages is ready at one hundred% at the same time as that of smooth beverages is 50%, in step with a statement with the aid of Oman’s Secretariat General for Taxation (SGT).
Taiwan food chiefs hatch new egg protection plan to crack down on fipronil fears
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a brand new meals protection certification requirement for the import of eggs and a raft of egg products and substances from August this yr.
In a legit declaration on its website, the Taiwan FDA said: “To beef up the meals protection and hygiene control of imported eggs and egg merchandise. [the FDA has decided that] an ‘Official Food Hygiene Certification Document for Imported Eggs and Egg Products for Food Purposes’ will want to be attached [for all related imports starting August 1, 2019].”
The new law will observe to all eggs and associated merchandise, together with clean eggs, eggs in liquid form, liquid egg whites, liquid egg yolks, complete egg powders, egg yolk powder and so on.
Non-halal sweet: Malaysia might also comply with Brunei in eliminating White Rabbit from halal shelves
Popular China-made candy White Rabbit has currently been under fire in Brunei after a examine performed with the aid of u . S. A .’s Islamic authority revealed it to comprise pig protein, and Malaysia now seems possible to follow in it’s South East Asian neighbor’s footsteps.
In an authentic declaration, the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Brunei (MoRA) introduced in advance this month that the Halal Food Control Division had despatched samples of the White Rabbit sweet to be analyzed through the Health Ministry’s Scientific Services Department, which examined superb for pig protein.
“As such, MoRA is looking upon importers and shops to split this product from trendy cabinets and placed it inside the ‘Non-Halal’ section, and for Islamic clients to live away from and now not eat this product,” said the ministry.
Sour taste: 280+ ‘fake vinegar’ manufacturers have to be revealed and ‘pulled off shelves’ in the Philippines
Philippines Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol has urged the neighborhood Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) to launch the logo names of vinegar products containing artificial acetic acid, recently located to make up a few 80% of vinegar within u . S.
Via a reliable FDA press release in advance this month, it was mentioned that a PNRI takes a look at had discovered that ‘as many as 8 out of ten vinegar merchandise are not made from natural assets’.
Over 360 manufacturers of commercial vinegar were tested inside the observe, meaning that over 280 vinegar manufacturers have to be taken into consideration as ‘fake’ vinegar, in step with the FDA.
GST expansion shot down: Australian PM rejects leaked idea to expand food taxation
Recently re-elected Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has introduced that the government will now not be taking over the Australian Tax Office (ATO) inspiration to increase the application of Goods and Service Tax (GST) to a broader variety of food items.
The ATO proposal turned into finding out through The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald earlier this month, citing leaked ATO internal files describing modern-day GST applications to meals as ‘confusing’ and sundry depending on packaging, advertising and marketing, and consumption.
In an assertion to FoodNavigator-Asia, an ATO spokesman said that the documents have been no longer meant for launch’ and that the media changed into no longer meant to have to get admission to to the ‘inner operating short’.