3.76.  During the period under review, the legal and institutional framework for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements in Iceland remained in essence unchanged as only minor changes were introduced. As Iceland is a member of the EEA, relevant legislation is based on EU legislation. MAST, under the MFAF, is the competent authority for food safety; animal health and welfare; control of feed, seed, and fertilizers; and plant health. Local authorities under supervision of MAST monitor food production and distribution. The MFAF is the national notification authority, and MAST is the WTO SPS enquiry point

3.77.  The framework for sanitary measures continues to be primarily spelled out in (i) Act No. 54/1990 on the Importation of Animals, which was amended various times during the review period, including moving some responsibilities regarding import prohibitions and licensing from the Minister level to MAST[159], and (ii) Act No. 25/1993 on Animal Diseases and their Prevention, which was also amended, although not significantly. Amendments to Act No. 25/1993 adjusted the import permit system for goods originating in the EEA[160] and regulated that fees for the supervision, administration, and document inspection for animal by-products may not be higher than actual costs, including personnel, sampling, and testing costs.[161]

3.78.  As reflected in the Food Law (Act No. 93/1995, as amended), food imports have to comply with requirements set out in relevant EU legislation with the recent amendments to the EU Food Law incorporated into the EEA Agreement in 2021 and applicable since July 2022.[162] Goods within the EEA circulate freely.[163] A new MFAF No. 735/2017 on Novel Foods replaced the Regulation mentioned in the previous Review.[164] All domestic operators producing primary food and feed continue to have to be registered and approved by MAST. Approved establishments are published on the MAST website.[165]

3.79.  Only registered importers are allowed to import feed from outside the EEA, with such shipments having to document ingredients, their chemical composition, and, if any ingredient is of animal origin, a health certificate stating the sanitary procedures used in production, packing, and handling, and the absence of microorganisms. The production, packaging, or marketing of fertilizer, feed additives, and seeds has to be registered with MAST.[166]

3.80.  An import permit system regulates the import of live animals and certain animal products. The import of used fishing equipment remains permitted only with a disinfection certificate, and strict measures are in place for the import of used riding equipment or clothes. The permit system for the import of certain meat products[167] from outside the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands remains in place, with such imports from within the EEA no longer subject to permits following amendments by Act No. 93/2019. Ministry of Industry and Innovation Regulation No. 1250/2019 spells out specific requirements for products such as raw meat and meat products, which also include a requirement to be derived from animals slaughtered and processed in establishments approved by the European Union or authorized in the EEA[168], or not to have received growth‑promoting substances. Since 2021, MAST (rather than the MFAF) can grant import permits under certain conditions. Imports of live animals from new animal species or foreign populations of existing species, as well as products of animal origin (raw or unsterilized) must undergo a risk assessment and also require a permit from the Environmental Agency (Act No. 54/1990, Article 5). For the first import operation of raw or unsterilized products, MAST has to receive and review relevant information before the product is shipped

3.81.  The framework for phytosanitary measures continues to be spelled out by Act No. 51/1981 on Prevention of Diseases and Pests of Plants and Ministry of Agriculture Regulation No. 189/1990 on Import and Export of Plants and Plant Products, both of which were not amended significantly during the review period. Plant health legislation remains outside the scope of the EEA Agreement. Like for the import of live animals, Act No. 60/2023 also amended Act No. 51/1981 regulating that fees for the supervision, administration, and document inspection for animal by-products may not be higher than actual costs, including personnel, sampling, and testing costs. The import of used agricultural machinery is subject to a permit (requiring a notification to MAST), cleaning, and a veterinary disinfection certificate before it can be granted by MAST.[169] The import of certain plants that can carry harmful organisms is prohibited[170], unless under certain conditions (this also applies to potatoes).[171] The relevant lists have not been amended. Only wood packaging material produced by a MAST-certified enterprise can be exported to countries that have adopted the related international phytosanitary measure (ISPM 15)

3.82.  As Iceland participates in the European Union's Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), importers have to pre-notify the border control post of first arrival and submit a "common health entry document" for imports of animal products from outside the EEA, and these are subject to health check at the border by MAST. MAST is authorized to carry out inspections when there is a reasonable suspicion that food is harmful to health or unfit for consumption or may cause animal diseases, with the importer bearing the costs. All imported plants and plant parts are subject to phytosanitary checks and phytosanitary certificates are required. Iceland does not participate in the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ePhyto platform for electronic phytosanitary certification

3.83.  The marketing of plant protection products requires authorization from the Environmental Agency, the competent authority in the field. Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Regulation No. 544/2015 spells out that products must be labelled according to the relevant EU regulation and that marketing licences are published on the Agency's website.[172]

3.84.  The framework regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remains in principle unchanged with two amendments in 2018 and 2019 to EU Directive 2001/18/EC on the Deliberate Release of GMOs into the Environment incorporated into the EEA Agreement. MFAF Regulation No. 1237/2014 on traceability and labelling of GM food and feed continues to apply to food and feed when more than 0.9% of any ingredient is produced from GMOs.[173]

3.85.  Iceland is a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and a contracting party to the IPPC

3.86.  During the review period, Iceland did not file any SPS notifications at the WTO

3.64.  During the review period, there were no significant changes to the legal framework for standards and technical regulations. The framework continues to be primarily spelled out in Act No. 36/2003 on Standards and Icelandic Standards (IST) and Regulation No. 798/2014 for the application of EU Regulation No. 1025/2012 on European Standardization in Iceland as part of the EEA (i.e. the application of the European "new approach" to administering technical regulations)

3.65.  The national Icelandic standards body is Icelandic Standards (IST), an independent association tasked to develop, adopt, and publish Icelandic standards, and is supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs and Trade Ministry.[148] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains the notifying authority and enquiry point for the WTO as Iceland is revising related legislation and expects to update its notification from 2000 in that regard afterwards. IST is a member of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), as well as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

3.66.  Standards are developed in a participatory process to address market needs, with the process undertaken in the five sector committees for the building, fishing, IT, environmental, and electrotechnical sectors, with other standards developed by technical committees under control of the Executive Committee. Draft standards are published for comments on the IST website, but an electronic ID is needed to view and comment on standards

3.67.  Once adopted, Icelandic standards are published in a Standards Bulletin at least quarterly, and IST maintains a register of all standards on its website. Between 2017 and 2023, 12,342 EN standards were adopted, including European Harmonised Standards. Out of the 30,185 existing Icelandic standards at the end of 2023, around 40% are of international origin (i.e. replicating ISO and/or IEC standards) that have been adopted by CEN or CENELEC and therefore are adopted as well in Iceland, 59% are EN standards, and 1% are standards that have been developed in Iceland for special circumstances, such as the building industry. All EN standards are adopted in Iceland in accordance with the EEA Agreement

3.68.  As a member of the EEA, Iceland transposes EU Regulations and Directives into national law, once incorporated into the EEA Agreement. Therefore, the EU system regarding technical regulations and actual technical regulations applicable in the European Union apply in Iceland as well. Technical regulations can detail specific technical requirements for a certain product ("old approach"), or spell out "essential" requirements while leaving the more detailed technical requirements to Harmonized European Standards ("new approach").[149] EEA EFTA States are obliged to notify the ESA of any national legislation containing technical regulations or rules that deviate from the internal market legislation and which they plan to adopt.[150] Between 2017 and 2023, Iceland made 31 notifications to the ESA and these are listed in the European Union's Technical Regulation Information System database

3.69.  For technical regulations based on the "old approach" or on Icelandic standards, products have to demonstrate conformity when imported, which may require the use of conformity assessment bodies for certification. However, under EU Regulation No. 2019/515, incorporated into the EEA Agreement, goods legally marketed in an EEA member can be legally sold in Iceland as well, and therefore goods imported from within the Single Market do not need to demonstrate conformity. Goods subject to technical regulations under the European Union's new approach require CE marking prior to their marketing. Producers benefit in most cases from the presumption of conformity with the essential requirements and are allowed to use the self-certification procedure. EU Regulation No. 2019/1020 requiring, for certain products, the provision of contact details of a responsible economic operator, was incorporated into the EEA Agreement in December 2023 and is expected to be transposed into national law. A new "blue guide" on the Implementation of the Product Rules in the EEA was published in 2022 by the European Commission

3.70.  In addition to demonstrating compliance upon import, a market surveillance system is also in place in accordance with Act No. 134/1995 on Product Safety and Public Market Surveillance. Act No. 114/2014 on Construction Products specifically regulates the marketing and use of construction material, implemented under supervision of the Housing and Infrastructure Agency. The new EU Regulation No. 2019/1020, which aims to strengthen the EU market surveillance mechanism, was incorporated into the EEA Agreement in late 2023 and will be transposed into relevant national acts (Act No. 134/1995 and Act No. 88/2005).[151]

3.71.  The Icelandic Board for Technical Accreditation (ISAC) is the single national accreditation body, an independent division within the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office (ISIPO).[152] As spelled out in Act No. 24/2006 on Accreditation, it accredits inspection bodies; testing, calibration, and certification laboratories; and certification agencies. At the end of 2023, there were 12 inspection offices, 4 accredited testing laboratories, and 4 certification agencies (plus 1 in Sweden based on an agreement with the Swedish accreditation agency).[153] ISAC is a member of the European co‑operation for Accreditation (EA) and in 2022 signed the EA MLA accepting equivalence of accreditation systems and the reliability of conformity assessment results by accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) for the field of inspection.[154] ISAC is not a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) or the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). A mutual recognition agreement covering conformity assessment of certain products is in place between Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.[155]

3.72.  The Metrology Act (Act No. 91/2006) did not change significantly during the review period but responsibility for metrology and calibration services was moved from the Consumer Agency to ISAC

3.73.  The labelling of food products continues to be regulated by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (MFAF) Regulation No. 1294/2014 on the Provision of Information About Food to Consumers, reflecting EEA legislation. Cosmetics are labelled in accordance with Act No. 61/2013 on Chemicals and Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Regulation No. 577/2013, reflecting EEA legislation.[156] Most information on labels has to be provided in Icelandic, English, or another Nordic language other than Finnish. The labelling of pharmaceutical products also follows relevant EEA legislation, regulated by Ministry of Health Regulation No. 545/2018 on Marketing Authorisations for Medicinal Products, Labelling and Package Leaflets (replacing Regulation No. 141/2011), with products in Iceland requiring a "Nordic commodity number", an indication when a product reduces the ability to drive or operate machines, and under certain circumstances special inscriptions such as prices or information on co‑payments

3.74.  In 2023, Iceland also incorporated the updated and amended EU Regulation No. 2018/848 on organic production into national law by MFAF Regulation No. 205/2023. Among other things, it spells out the registration of operators and certification and establishes a rule to ensure words, terms, images, or symbols used on labels, advertising, or other documents are only used when production meets the requirements spelled out in the Regulation and production has been certified.[157] Goods marketed in the EEA are treated as equivalent but importers must notify an accredited certification body when importing such products from other countries.[158]

3.75.  During the review period, Iceland did not file any TBT notifications at the WTO