UAE Passes Mandatory Biotech Labeling Law

The United Arab Emirates has passed a new law regulating the import, export, re-export, transit, trading, development, manufacture, production, and transfer of food and agricultural products containing 0.9 percent or more components derived from bioengineering.

The Federal National Council (FNC) approved 15 draft laws on health, food, environment, and the economy, during 13 sessions in the first ordinary term of its 17th legislative chapter. The draft laws approved by the FNC in the first term of its 17th legislative chapter covered consumer protection, public health, the regulation of national strategic food reserves, the biosafety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products, pesticides, and amendments to a Federal Law on regulating commercial agencies, as well as other draft laws.

The new law on labeling states that the importer, exporter, trader, developer, manufacturer, and producer of GMOs or their products shall place information label on each shipment and package indicating that they contain GMOs or their products, and any other data determined by the Implementing Regulation of the law. Also in the new law, import of GMOs and their products without a permit from the Competent Authority is prohibited, and the export or re-export of GMOs and their products require prior approval of the Ministry and the permit of the Competent Authority.

For more details, download and read the Voluntary Report published in the USDA FAS GAIN and the announcement in the Emirates News Agency.