SG 108/26
Ecuador proposes updated requirements for food contact glass, ceramic and glass-ceramic articles.
On July 17, 2026, the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced a revised draft proposal from Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Investment (Ministerio de Producción, Comercio Exterior e Inversiones) to amend its technical regulation for food contact glass, ceramic and glass-ceramic ware intended to come into contact with food.
What does the revised draft technical regulation require?
Key provisions in the updated draft technical regulation RTE INEN No 010 (2R), attached to WTO document number 26-5191, include:
- Specifying that the scope applies to a) glass, ceramic and glass-ceramic ware intended for the preparation, cooking, serving and storage of food and beverages and b) ceramic kitchen utensils for cooking food
- Listing the Harmonized System Codes (HS Codes) for products under the scope of this technical regulation
- Introducing multiple terms and their definitions, including accredited organization (organismo acreditado), certification body (organismo designado) and recognized body (organismo reconocido)
- Exempting several product categories, including but not limited to a) ornaments or decorations, hygiene or toiletry products and handicrafts, b) enameled glass articles and tableware, c) enameled porcelain articles and tableware and d) ceramic tableware classified as toys
- Stipulating migration limits for lead and cadmium for different product categories (see Tables 1 to 3 below)
- Establishing criteria for product labels
- Specifying conformity assessment procedures (procedimiento de evaluación de la conformidad (PEC)), including certification schemes
| Product type | Standard | Criteria for 4 units | Requirement | |
| Lead | Cadmium | |||
| Flatware | Test Standard: ISO 6486-1 Standard requirement: ISO 6486-2 | Average | ≤ 0.8 mg/dm² | ≤ 0.07 mg/dm² |
| Small Hollowware | All | ≤ 2 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | |
| Large Hollowware | All | ≤ 1 mg/L | ≤ 0.25 mg/L | |
| Storage Hollowware | All | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 0.25 mg/L | |
| Cups and Mugs | All | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 0.25 mg/L | |
| Cooking Ware | All | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 0.05 mg/L | |
Table 1. Permissible limits for lead and cadmium release in glass, ceramic and glass-ceramic articles and tableware
| Type of glass holloware | Standard | Criteria for 4 units | Requirement | |
| Lead | Cadmium | |||
| Small | Test Standard: ISO 7086-1 Standard requirement: ISO 7086-2 | All | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L |
| Large | All | ≤ 0.75 mg/L | ≤ 0.25 mg/L | |
| Storage | All | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 0.25 mg/L | |
Table 2. Permissible limits for lead and cadmium release from glass holloware or glass containers
| Scope | Standard | Requirement | |
| Lead | Cadmium | ||
| Ceramic cooking utensils | Test Standard: ISO 8391-1 Standard requirement: ISO 8391-2 | ≤ 5.0 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L |
Table 3. Permissible limits for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramic utensils intended for cooking food
Who is impacted?
The proposed technical regulation affects stakeholders across the food contact glass, ceramic and glass-ceramic products supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, retailers and other intermediaries operating in Ecuador.
When is the deadline for submitting comments?
According to the WTO notification, comments will be accepted until September 15, 2026.
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