Dominican food exports to Haiti are subject to new Creole labeling regulations as of 1 October 2024, the Haitian Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced on 18 September 2024. The new rule requires all exports from the Dominican Republic to bear labels in either French or Creole. As reported in Diario Libre, the move has caught Dominican exporters off guard.
The measure is another in a series of seemingly hostile actions led by the new government under Prime Minister Gary Conille.
It is unclear whether the measure applies to all imports to Haiti, or just to those coming from the Dominican Republic.
Dominican exports to Haiti have been declining for years, as the security situation and actions or lack of actions by the Haitian government make trade more difficult.
“The apparent goal of these measures is to ensure that Haitian consumers have access to complete product information. However, the sudden and informal nature of this announcement is troubling,” said Mario Pujols, Vice President of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD).
Pujols noted that Dominican industries have yet to receive official confirmation of the new regulations through Haiti’s official channels, such as Le Moniteur.
César Dargam, Vice President of the National Council of Business (Conep), echoed these concerns, warning that the lack of a grace period for compliance could lead to significant export declines and shortages of essential goods in the Haitian market. A select group of businesses control imports into Haiti from other markets, namely Miami, Florida.
Pujols emphasized that changes to product labeling should adhere to the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, which requires clear notification processes. Both the AIRD and Conep are calling for increased dialogue between Dominican and Haitian authorities to clarify the new regulations and ensure that they are not applied in a discriminatory manner.
Key export products:
• Flour and derivatives
• Oils, butter, and margarine
• Tomato paste, seasonings, and spices
• Vinegar
• Alcoholic beverages
• Fish
• Sugar and derivatives
• Vegetables and tubers
• Prepared vegetables, fruits, and pickles
• Coffee and tea
Dominican exports to Haiti have been on a downward trend. The overall decline for the first seven months of the year stands at 15.04%.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
23 September 2024