Date of issue: 6 June 2025
Date of effect: Immediate
Reference Number: MAA2025-12
Attention
- Industries—Industry bodies – Dairy Australia – Infant Nutrition Council, Dairy Export Industry Consultative Committee, Australian Food and Grocery Council
- Dairy Export establishments
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) is to notify industry that the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), United Arab Emirates (UAE), intends to introduce a new labelling system, known as the Nutrition Mark, effective from 1 June 2025. The new labelling requirements apply to cheese and beverages containing dairy products exported to and for sale in Abu Dhabi.
Summary of key points
- On 3 February 2025, the UAE notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of the new food labelling Regulation.
- Effective from 1 June 2025, specific food and beverage products sold in Abu Dhabi, including packaged and non-packaged breads and pastries, beverages (including dairy products), cheese, fats and oils and fat emulsions and food targeting children, UAE will be subject to mandatory labelling requirements.
- The food business operator responsible for the labelling information must be the operator under whose name or business name the product is marketed. If that operator is not based in Abu Dhabi, the responsibility falls to the importer in Abu Dhabi.
- Cheese products are addressed under Annex 2A: General Food Products.
- Annex 4A outlines the beverages included in the regulation, which comprise of “milk, drinking yogurt, flavoured milk drinks or chocolate milk drinks or milk drinks containing cocoa (regardless of the milk content) and plant-based drinks.”
- The Abu Dhabi Nutri-Mark grade is calculated based on nutritional values per 100 ml.
- Images of the Nutri-Mark label are included in the notified document available at https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2025/TBT/ARE/25_01157_00_e.pdf.
- Exporters are encouraged to work closely with their importers to ensure that Australian products meet importing country requirements.
Micor
The Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) will be updated to reflect this market access advice. The department encourages users of Micor to subscribe to the Micor update service for a commodity-specific email that lists changes that have been made the preceding week.
Further information
Contact exportstandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.
The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.