Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur), the Common Market of the South, is the largest trading bloc in South America, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Bolivia became a full member in 2024 and has a four-year transition period to align its legislation with Mercosur guidelines.
Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur), the Common Market of the South, is the largest trading bloc in South America, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay with Bolivia becoming a full member in 2024.
Food contact material (FCM) and article (FCA) general safety is governed by GMC Resolution 3/92, which sets requirements such as overall and specific migration limits, with individual resolutions covering specific materials, additives and substances.
We help you navigate this framework, providing testing and compliance support aligned to the specific GMC Resolutions that apply to your products across South America.
Meet food contact material requirements across South America
We enable you to:
- Meet the overall safety frameworkComply with the general safety and migration limit requirements set out in GMC Resolution 3/92.
- Navigate material-specific resolutionsAccess support across the GMC Resolutions covering plastics, glass, ceramics, elastomers, adhesives, coatings, metals and more.
- Address BPA restrictionsMeet Mercosur's specific measures on bisphenol A migration and prohibitions in infant feeding articles.
- Reduce market access riskEnsure your products meet the requirements transposed into national legislation across Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia.
- Test with confidenceAccess full-range FCM testing, including migration and safety testing.
GMC Resolutions
The general safety of all FCMs and FCAs is governed by GMC Resolution 3/92, which requires conformity with general safety requirements and established limits for overall and specific migration. GMC Resolutions are approved by the Groupo Mercado Común, the Common Market Group, and must be transposed into national legislation.
Key resolutions for common materials include:
- Overall framework: GMC Resolution 3/92
- Glass and ceramics: GMC Resolution 55/92
- General provisions for plastics: GMC Resolutions 56/92 and 20/21
- Recycled plastics: GMC Resolution 16/93
- Elastomers: GMC Resolutions 54/97 and 29/99
- Adhesives: GMC Resolutions 27/99 and 34/25
- Polymeric and resinous coatings: GMC Resolution 55/99
- Metals, alloys and coatings: GMC Resolutions 46/06, 16/20 and 48/23
- Positive list of additives for plastics: GMC Resolution 32/07 (revoked by GMC Resolution 39/19)
- Plastics: GMC Resolution 32/10
- Colorants and pigments in plastics: GMC Resolution 15/10
- Positive list of monomers and polymers for plastics: GMC Resolutions 02/12, 19/21 and 28/24
- Cellulose (paper and board): GMC Resolutions 40/15, 21/21, 26/22 and 2/25
- Cellulosic materials for cooking and hot filtration: GMC Resolution 41/15
- Cellulosic materials for cooking or ovens: GMC Resolution 42/15
- Positive list of additives for plastics and polymeric coatings: GMC Resolutions 39/19 and 22/24
- Silicones: GMC Resolution 34/25
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Mercosur regulates the migration of BPA in food contact plastics and epoxy coating materials. It also prohibits BPA in feeding bottles and similar articles for infants and children up to three years of age. BPA is also prohibited in certain food contact plastics intended for young children in some Central and South American countries.
Why SGS?
As the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company, we provide extensive experience testing food contact materials and articles for markets around the globe, covering food safety, performance and fitness for use. Our technical experts deliver the full range of FCM testing, including migration and safety testing, along with guidance on emerging regulations and compliance documentation.
Our experience helps you meet the appropriate territorial regulations for food contact materials across South America.
FAQs
The general safety of all food contact materials and articles is governed by GMC Resolution 3/92, which requires conformity with general safety requirements and established limits for overall and specific migration. GMC Resolutions are approved by the Groupo Mercado Común, the Common Market Group, and must be transposed into national legislation.
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Djibouti