Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan has approved the draft law "On Food Safety" in its first reading.

It was noted that in recent years, the country has been implementing a set of measures aimed at providing the population with high-quality and safe food products, as well as developing the food industry. However, the current Law "On the Quality and Safety of Food Products" does not meet modern requirements for food safety, the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) principles on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, or international Codex Alimentarius standards.

The existing legislation does not take into account international principles, standards, and practices in the field of food safety and lacks a clear definition of the responsibilities of competent state authorities.

In response, the new draft law, which consists of six chapters and 47 articles, clearly defines the powers of state bodies, establishes key principles for ensuring food safety, and regulates the development and implementation of sanitary measures, rules, and regulations in line with WTO agreements. It sets out general food and feed safety requirements and outlines the rights and obligations of food business operators.

Additionally, the document establishes requirements for the development, implementation, and application of permanent procedures based on risk analysis and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system.

The adoption of this draft law will enable a systematic approach to regulating food safety issues, improve mechanisms for state governance and oversight, clearly define the functions of authorized bodies, and enhance the sector’s investment attractiveness.

The bill was supported by lawmakers in its first reading.