New Law about GMO Labeling in Ukraine

Date:01-22-2010

On 17 December 2009, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted amendments to the laws "On safety and quality of food products" and "On the protection of consumers rights". It has been decided that all food products put in circulation in Ukraine must be labelled in the Ukrainian language as to the information whether they contain or do not contain genetically modified organisms (“GMO” or “without GMO” accordingly).
 
Until now, only food products that contained more than 0.9% of GMO or have been produced from agricultural produce that contained more than 0.9% of GMO required labelling. This obligatory labelling of GMO food products was introduced by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 468 of 13 May 2009 "On establishing the procedure for labelling food products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or are produced using GMOs, and put into circulation" (as amended on 1 July 2009). This provision has been widely ignored by the producers.

As a result, the Parliament has decided to anchor the mandatory labelling of both GMO food products and GMO-free food products in the above-mentioned laws. It is to be highlighted that no thresholds were set by the Parliament. According to the information got from the State Committee for Technical Regulation and Consumer Protection, the 0.9% threshold from the resolution No. 468 is still effective.
 
The amendments to the law "On safety and quality of food products" came into force on 30 December. The amendments to the law "On the protection of consumers rights" shall come into force on 6 March 2010.