According to the Union of Producers of Soft Drinks and Mineral Waters (www.softdrinks.ru ), the terms of the transitional provisions of the technical regulations on the safety of packaged drinking water, including natural mineral water, have been postponed from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 *.

The extension of the transition period was mainly due to two reasons. First of all, additional time is needed to change and agree on individual requirements of the technical regulations by all EAEU countries. In the second place, due to the situation with the pandemic, the manufacturers had difficulties in preparing for the requirements of the technical regulations, as well as with the renewal of documents.

It is important to note that most of the producers of mineral waters belong to small and medium-sized businesses, and the impossibility of production and circulation could lead to a deterioration in the economic situation of enterprises and a decline in production.

With the improvement of the epidemiological situation and the extension of the transition period, manufacturers will be able to prepare for the requirements of the technical regulations in a planned mode and reissue documents. The decision to extend the transition period will allow maintaining the volume of production and sales of packaged drinking water.

Union of Producers of Soft Drinks and Mineral Waters  notes thet the compromise was achieved thanks to the well-coordinated and effective work of the industry and the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, Rospotrebnadzor, EEC and other departments.

* The Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, taking into account the restrictive measures in the EAEU countries caused by the spread of coronavirus infection, made changes to a number of normative acts in the field of technical regulation. The deadlines for completing the transitional provisions of EAEU TR 044/2017 "On the safety of packaged drinking water, including natural mineral water" are extended until December 31, 2021.

The new technical regulations of the EAEU (taking into account the provisions on the transition period) entered into force in 2019. The document contains requirements for the production, storage, transportation, sale and disposal of water, as well as labeling and packaging. Producers are required to indicate information about the place of sampling, for example, the name of the river, lake, data on the number of the well indicating the field or name, location of the source.