Government backs bill to fight counterfeit food

The government backs bill to fight counterfeit food

On October 28, at a Government meeting, a bill was approved that establishes additional requirements for the labeling and sale of food products and improves the current legislation in the food sector.

The implementation of this bill will prevent unfair competition in the field of food production, ensure proper food traceability, update and supplement terminology, and harmonize national legislation with European one.

“Further support and implementation of this bill will strengthen the fight against counterfeiting, provide consumers with complete, reliable information about food products and increase responsibility for violating the requirements for the production and introduction of food products into circulation,” said the Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine.

Among the innovations of the bill:

new definitions and additions to the norms aimed at combating food falsification in the consumer market of Ukraine, for example: “falsified food product”, “food fraud”, “vegan food product”, “vegetarian food product”, “imitation food product”, “ handicraft food product", "food product presentation" and the like; improvement of existing legislative norms regarding the activities of market operators that are related to the production and / or introduction into circulation of food products of animal origin; registration and inclusion in the List of objects of sanitary measures, such as: food additives, flavors, food enzymes, natural mineral waters, nutritional value statement, HEALTH benefit statement, etc. carrying out inspections of authorized persons, authorized accredited laboratories, reference laboratories by the competent authority; strengthening the requirement for direct access to the production of food products for personnel with medical contraindications; conducting a rating of compliance with general hygiene requirements by catering establishments and food retailers; increased liability for violations of food law requirements.

me.gov.ua