The Cornflakes Reform

According to the government decision, in continuation to previous decisions, the ministers of Health, Finance, Economy and the Prime Minister will distribute a memorandum of law revising the Public Health Ordinance (Food) so that the import of regular food would not require preliminary registration and so that requirements would be defined for documents and data attesting to food safety based on the importer's declaration. In parallel, increased enforcement would be implemented to importers and sellers who fail to meet the required conditions. This decision in fact adopts accepted food import principles of advanced international authorities such as the European Union.

The reform has commenced (although at a certain delay from the schedule set forth in the decision) and the process of importing dry food has been revised as of July 2016.  According to the reform, licensed importers are required to upload a declaration onto a computerized system, attesting to the nature of the food to be imported and its meeting relevant health standards, and receive an automatic import permit. When the product arrives at the port, the importer presents the documents and the product is released from customs within 24 hours (without delays).