Import Regulations & Standards
The import regulations imposed by the countries time to time to ensure Food Safety and Quality assurance includes non Tariff barriers for the various food products.
| S.No. | Circulation Date | Country | Report Title | Report Highlights | View Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 09 OCT 2024 | Guatemala | FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual | This report contains the list of all the mandatory export certificates required by the Government of Guatemala for agricultural imports. | Click here |
| 2 | 03 OCT 2024 | Guatemala | FAIRS Country Report Annual | Guatemala adopted the Central American Regional Technical Regulation RTCA 67.01.31:20, which updates the food product registration process. The regulation entered into effect on August 5, 2024, superseding previous regulation RTCA 67.031:07 | Click here |
| 3 | 06 OCT 2023 | Guatemala | FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual | This report contains the list of all the mandatory export certificates required by the Government of Guatemala for agricultural imports. This report has no major changes from its 2022 version but provides additional information on FDA export certificates available to cover processed food products. | Click here |
| 4 | 06 OCT 2023 | Guatemala | FAIRS Annual Country Report Annual | On July 14, 2023, Guatemala notified G/SPS/N/GTM/75, corresponding to the Regional Technical Regulation (RTCA) 67.04.79:23, providing specifications for yogurt. The comment period ended September 12, 2023, and after responding to the comments, it is expected that Guatemala and the Central American region will adopt the new specifications for yogurt. | Click here |
| 5 | 30 SEP 2022 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report | The Ministry of Health issued three updates this year: a) Presidential Decree 53-2022 establishes new fees for services as of March 1, 2022 b) Technical Norm 001-2022 provides regulations for food supplements, and c) Communication dated June 1, 2022 establishes guidance for sampling processed food products in Guatemala as part of the routine surveillance. | Click here |
| 6 | 29 OCT 2021 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report | This report contains the list of all the mandatory export certificates required by the Government of Guatemala for agricultural imports. This report has no changes from its 2021 version. | Click here |
| 7 | 09 FEB 2021 | Guatemala | CAFTA-DR Tariff Line Classification Issue | On December 18, 2020 the Guatemalan Ministry of Economy officially adopted the 6th Amendment of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems (HS) for international trade, via Ministerial Decree 934-2020. | Click here |
| 8 | 30 SEP 2020 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report | This report has detailed updates for all sections, including a new section on trade facilitation. | Click here |
| 9 | 30 SEP 2020 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report | This report contains the list of all the mandatory export certificates required by the Government of Guatemala for U.S. agricultural exports. | Click here |
| 10 | 19 DEC 2019 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report | Regulation for pet food has been included as well as updates on new import e-permits and fees with the Ministry of Agriculture. | Click here |
| 11 | 19 DEC 2019 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report | This report was updated to reflect certification requirements for pet food, table eggs and egg products. | Click here |
| 12 | 14 DEC 2018 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Report | All links have been updated in all sections of the report. Section I has been updated to include the new updated rule for milk and dairy specifications, and the new updated rule for microbiological criteria. Other sections have been updated to provide additional clarifications, including Section V on labeling, which provides examples of a front label and nutritional table in compliance with the Central American technical rule. Contacts in Appendix I for government regulatory agencies in Guatemala have also been updated. | Click here |
| 13 | 13 DEC 2018 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Report | The Government of Guatemala is accepting the new FDA export certificates, but continues accepting Certificates of Free Sale issued by states to register processed food products with the Ministry of Health. Certificates of Free Sale issued by Chambers of Commerce are accepted, if and only if State authorities have officially notified they are no longer issuing the certificates. The Customs Authority (SAT) requires a “transshipment letter” issued to the shipping company by the Port Authority, where the transshipment took place to clear customs. | Click here |
| 14 | 14 DEC 2017 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative | All links have been updated in all sections of the report. Section II has been updated to include rules for pet food. Section VI related to other regulations has been updated with the fortification mandates in Guatemala applying to sugar, salt, and wheat flour. Contacts in Appendix I for government regulatory agencies in Guatemala have also been updated. | Click here |
| 15 | 13 DEC 2017 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | The Government of Guatemala is accepting FDA Certificates of Free Sale or State issued certificates of Free Sale to register processed food products with the Ministry of Health. Pet food needs to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture. APHIS export certificates continue to be valid for animal or plant products. Guatemala accepts the AMS Export Certificate for Dairy. | Click here |
| 16 | 22 DEC 2016 | Guatemala | Guatemala : Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative | The GOG made several policy changes to facilitate trade, while other policies continue to cause problems. The Ministry of Agriculture (MAGA) rescinded plant-by-plant inspections of non-processed seafood, and animal products to Guatemala. A Central America Technical Regulation on food additives continues to create import delays, while the Ministry of Health accepts an AMS Sanitary Certificate for dairy product registration, dropping the Certificate of Free Sale requirement for each commercial shipment. | Click here |
| 17 | 22 DEC 2016 | Guatemala | Guatemala : Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | Section III. Specific Attestations Required on Export Certificate(s) have been updated for: a) live cattle for breeding purposes, b) poultry and poultry products, to reflect FSIS export library updates to comply with Guatemala requirement. New export certification requirements have been posted for: a) pet food, b) dairy products, c) pet chews w/bovine ingredients, and d) poultry and feather meals. | Click here |
| 18 | 25 JAN 2016 | Guatemala | Guatemala : Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative | On November 6, 2015, the Guatemalan Ministry of Health and Social Assistance published Ministerial Decree 196-2015, which eliminated the extraordinary requirement of Guatemalan consulate verification on the Certificate of Free Sale for processed food products registration. | Click here |
| 19 | 31 DEC 2014 | Guatemala | Guatemala : Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | This report provides a detailed explanation of the export certificates that the Government of Guatemala requires for U.S. food and agricultural products to be imported. It contains links to official sites where specific inquiries can be made and responded to (for example, microbiological criteria). It also provides a matrix of certificates required for certain processed products, which have requirements from both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. | Click here |
| 20 | 31 DEC 2014 | Guatemala | Guatemala : Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative | Guatemala accepts all U.S. official certifications issued for agricultural fresh and processed food products. For processed food products (other than meats), a Certificate of Free Sales is required. If the Certificate of Free Sales is used to register a new product or update an existing registration (every 5 years), the Certificate of Free Sales needs to be signed and sealed at any Guatemalan Consulate or Embassy in the U.S. Guatemala does not allow for re-export of seafood from non-U.S. origin, unless a Guatemalan inspection visit to the exporting facility has occurred. | Click here |
| 21 | 18 DEC 2012 | Guatemala | Guatemala Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | This report provides a detailed explanation of the certificates that Government of Guatemala requires for U.S. food and agricultural products to be imported. It contains links to official sites where specific inquiries can be made and responded to (for example, microbiological criteria or standards). It also provides a matrix of certificates required for certain processed products, which have requirements from both the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. | Click here |
| 22 | 31 DEC 2011 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | This report provides a detailed explanation of the export certificates that Government of Guatemala requires for U.S. food and agricultural products to be imported. It contains links to official sites where specific inquiries can be made and responded to (for example, microbiological criteria or standards that must be complied with). It also provides a matrix of certificates required for certain processed products, which have requirements from both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. | Click here |
| 23 | 30 DEC 2011 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative | The Food Safety Unit of Ministry of Agriculture is enforcing food safety regulations and as of November 1, 2011, a self Certificate of Attestation has to be issued by U.S. horticultural exporters. Meats and products (including eggs) are still subject to the FSIS-9060 form only. Though U.S. food export products are not required to submit food safety documentation, products are responsible to comply with microbiological, chemical, veterinarian and mycotoxin maximum residues requirements. | Click here |
| 24 | 09 DEC 2010 | Guatemala | Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification | This report provides a detailed explanation of the export certificates that Government of Guatemala requires for U.S. food and agricultural products to be imported. It contains links to official sites where specific inquiries can be made and responded to (for example, microbiological criteria or standards that must be complied with). It also provides a matrix of certificates required for certain food products, which have requirements from both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. | Click here |