Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis has rejected the draft law “On Food Safety,” the press service of the lower house of parliament reported.

The new draft was prepared to replace the current law “On the Quality and Safety of Food Products,” which has been in force since 1997. According to its initiators, the primary goal was to improve the regulatory framework in line with modern requirements, international standards, and advanced global practices.

The document proposed clarifying the priority areas of state policy in ensuring food safety and expanding the powers of relevant state agencies. It also sought to harmonize the development and application of sanitary measures, rules, and standards with international norms.

The draft law introduced unified requirements for the production, packaging, labeling, and distribution of food products, while also setting out measures to ensure traceability at every stage, from storage and transportation to retail sales. In addition, it defined the rights and obligations of food business operators, including producers, processors, suppliers, and distributors.

Particular attention was given to the creation of an open electronic register designed to provide transparent oversight and monitoring of all processes related to the circulation of food products. The explanatory note stated that these reforms aligned with the requirements of the World Trade Organization and the practices of developed countries.

Among the proposed innovations was the elimination of certain bureaucratic procedures, including mandatory registration of sanitary-epidemiological conclusions, veterinary certificates, and certificates of conformity issued by the Technical Regulation Agency. The draft also suggested allowing producers to use international designations such as “best before” and “use by” alongside the conventional “expiration date.”

However, the section concerning product labeling sparked the most debate. Lawmakers voiced objections to the proposed requirement that certain foods be labeled as “not recommended for minors.”

In particular, Ilkhom Abdullaev, a member of the “Milliy Tiklanish” faction, pointed out that the current legislation does not define the term “school age,” while the draft’s reference to “marketing materials” was deemed too vague and in need of clarification.