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WASHINGTON, DC - 12/30/03 - The government has issued an online guide that describes new rules concerning the import of food and feed into the country.

The guide - available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pn/cpgpn.html - was developed jointly by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The two agencies are responsible for implementing the new rules.

During a phase-in period ending August 12, 2004, both agencies will concentrate on educating the public about the rules, and will issue fines during this period "only in response to repetitive, flagrant or other serious violations," according to a press release issued by the FDA.

In addition, during the 8-month transitional period, the two agencies plan to gather data to track compliance with the prior notice requirements and to determine how to best use FDA's and CBP's resources to educate industry and the public to achieve full compliance with the Bioterrorism Act; provide industry and the public with summary information about the level of compliance with the prior notice rules, including data on the types of errors in submitted prior notices; post the summary information on FDA's website at www.fda.gov; and "use the data and summary information to assist the industry and the public in improving the submission of prior notice."

During the phase-in period, FDA and CBP "will generally use civil monetary penalties and refusals only in response to repetitive, flagrant and other serious violations," the release said, adding that the agencies expect a 'good faith' effort at compliance." 

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