The feed law, an important link in the food chain «from field to table» has been adopted, EU experts

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted the Law “On Safety and Hygiene of Feeds”, which was developed by the parliamentarians, including the active participation of specialists of the State Food Consumer Service and the experts of the European Union Project “Improvement of the Food Safety Control System in Ukraine” and the Office for Reforms Supporting under the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, for implementation of the Agreement on Association between Ukraine and the EU. 229 Ukrainian parliamentarians voted for the Law.

The new law introduces the requirements for safe feeds. Now, each market feed operator (except for primary production) should implement a system of HACCP at its enterprises, as well as a system of traceability of products or their ingredients based on the principle of “step forward – step back”. Clear labeling requirements are being implemented at all stages of production and circulation of feed to avoid misleading of the other market operators or end-users.

The benefits from the adoption of this Law will be received not only by consumers of food products of animal origin, but also by business.

The law introduces a simplified, equivalent to the European registration system. According to the old legislation, each applicant had to register feed supplements every 5 years, as well as complete feeds and premixes, which are made from the same feed additives. Now only the feed additives must be registered once per every 10 years and only by the first applicant. Consequently, the Law reduces administrative pressure on business and reduces the cost of production. In addition, the Law will facilitate the expansion of Ukrainian exports to European and world markets.

Volodymyr Lapa, the Head of the State Food Consumer Service, thanked the parliamentarians and especially the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations for the work on this document.

“Effective communication within the framework of the working group created by the VR Agrarian Committee has made it possible to reconcile all the principled positions during the revision of the draft law and its preparation for the second reading.”, as was emphasized by Volodymyr Lapa.

EU Project Manager Tony Will highly appreciated the work of all participants on the draft law. He noted that it is important that Ukraine has adopted another key European integration law. “Ukraine is now introducing a food safety system based on a European approach “from field to table”. Safe feed is an essential condition for the safety of animal origin food,” Tony Will commented.

http://www.consumer.gov.ua