هيي ة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية

هيي ة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) (E) بطاقات عبوات منتجات التبغ Labeling of Packages tobacco products ICS : 65.160.00

Labeling of Packages tobacco products Date of GSO Board of Directors' Approval : 9/9/1432h (9/8/2011) Issuing Status : Technical regulation

Foreword GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs). GSO through the technical program of committee TC No.(5) " Technical committee for standards of food and agriculture products " has updated the GSO Technical regulation No. GSO 246 / 1994 " Labeling of Packages tobacco products" The Draft Technical regulation has been prepared by State of United Arab Emirates. This Technical regulation has been approved by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting No. (14), held on 9/9/1432h (9/8/2011). The approved Technical regulation will replace and supersede the GSO Technical regulation No. (GSO 246 / 1994). 1

Labeling of packages tobacco products 1. Scope This Gulf technical regulation provides details that must be provided on the labels of packages of tobacco products. 2. Complementary references 2.1 GSO 597 " Cigarettes ". 2.2 GSO 1415 " Moassel tobacco ". 2.3 GSO 1501 " Fruit flavored moassel tobacco ". 2.4 GSO 2048 " Tobacco and tobacco products Snuff tobacco ". 2.5 GSO 2049 " Tobacco and tobacco products Chewing tobacco ". 2.6 GSO 2050 " Blended tobacco for pipes ". 2.7 GSO 2047 " Cigars and Tuscan cigars ". 2.8 GSO 2051 " Tobacco and tobacco products cigarittos ". 3. Definitions 3.1 Cigarettes: 3.2 Tobacco: Is a tobacco product intended for smoking, made of a longitudinal paper roll with approximately cylindrical cross shape that contains pieces of tobacco, either with or without a filter or with a filter that has side ventilation channels. Is a blend of plants from the species Nicotiana Tabacum and Nicotiana Rustica. 3.3 Tobacco products: Any product made, wholly or partially, of tobacco leaves as a raw material intended for smoking or chewing or sniffing or sucking (e.g. cigarettes loose cigarette tobacco cigars Pipe tobacco Moassel Shishah tobacco chewing tobacco snuff tobacco). 3.4 Moassel tobacco: Shredded tobacco obtained from plants of the species Nicotiana Tabacum and Nicotiana Rustica and/or any blend thereof to which treacle, molasses and glycerin is added. 3.5 Chewing tobacco: Tobacco obtained by cutting and folding tobacco leaves into wide strips so that they can be chewed, and may be mixed with spices, areca nut, betel leaf or paan leaf. 3.6 Tobacco snuff: Tobacco powder to which sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate, or both are added to be used by means of inhalation and may also contain table salt, sesame oil and oils or food aromatic extracts. 2

3.7 Label : 3.8 Labeling: 3.9 Packet: Any label, mark or photo or any other descriptive label, written, printed, stamped or placed on the pack. Any writing, photo or drawing on the pack s label. Any unit filled directly with a product to be sold as a separate unit when offered to consumers. Packs referred to here is a single packet. 3.10 Batch number: A code given to the quantity of product produced under the same conditions during a specific period of time normally by the same production line or production unit. 3.11 Primary display area : The front and back sides of the pack. If determining the primary display area is unattainable, the greater area shall be considered the front side of the pack and the largest following area shall be considered the back. 4. Requirements 4.1 General Requirements 4.1.1 No names, symbols, marks or picture contrary to the general rules shall not be used. 4.1.2 A product shall not be described in a way, or have a label that might create a misleading impression of its features or mislead that it is less harmful; including the terms: light, ultra light, mild, low tar and nicotine, zero tar, medium, and the like. 4.1.3 Labels shall be clear and easy to read for consumers in circumstances of normal purchase and use. 4.1.4 Colors used for the text should be distinctive from background colors in a clear manner. 4.1.5 The health warning and the levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide must be written in both languages Arabic and English. Whereas, it is permitted to print all other information in English alone. 4.1.6 Companies may enlarge or reduce and set the image to fit different sizes of packs of cigarettes subject to the provisions in Articles 4.1 and 4.3. 4.1.7 The labels shall be printed directly on the pack and not on the exterior sylophene paper of the packaging or on a sticker. 4.1.8 All Brand owners shall submit an annual list of the contents of their brands made for consumption in GCC countries. Moreover, they shall inform the GCC Standardization Organization of any changes made to the contents of any brand within no more than three months of the date of change. 3

4.2 Labeling Requirements of Tobacco Packs : The following labels must be stated on the tobacco packs. 4.2.1 Brand name and trade name. 4.2.2 Number of cigarettes and its equivalent, or the approximate weight of the pack at packaging time for remaining tobacco products. 4.2.3 Date of Production by Month and Year. 4.2.4 Indicate the proportion of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide on cigarette packs and the proportion of nicotine on other tobacco products. 4.2.5 Batch Number 4.2.6 Country of origin, or manufacture or packing. 4.2.7 The statement For Sale in GCC Countries 4.2.8. Place a health warning about the health hazards of consuming tobacco and its products. 4.3 Requirements of Health Warnings and the Pictures 4.3.1 The area of the Pictorial Health Warning shall be no less than 50% (including the borders) of the main display area on the bottom half of the front and back of the pack. 4.3.2 The area of the text shall not exceed 40% of the whole of the Health Warning and should be printed in Arabic on the Front and in English on the Back at the bottom of the pack. 4.3.3. The text of the Arabic Warning shall be written in black on a white background using font (Simplified Arabic). The English Warning shall be written using font (Times New Roman) with a font size no less than 12 Bold in both languages. The arrangement of the Health Warning phrases and statements shall be identical to what is stated above. 4.3.4 The Warnings shall be written in a manner that is difficult to remove by any possible way. The text should not be hidden or obscured and should not intervene with the picture or be impacted due to the opening of the pack as this should be taken into consideration when printing the pictures. 4.3.5 A black border of 1mm thickness should surround both warnings. 4.3.6 The Pictures and warnings should be placed on a CD and should be an appendix to the Standard. 4.3.7 The Pictures and Warnings shall be changed in accordance to the requirements of the public interest. 4