Ukrainian government proposes canceling 'without GMO' labeling
Producers and importers are to print information on the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on labels if the percentage of such organisms in foodstuff exceeds 0.9%, the press service of the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry reported on Thursday.
The press service said that the draft law on amendments to some Ukrainian laws on notifying the public on the content of GMOs in foodstuff was approved by the Ukrainian government at a meeting on October 3, 2012.
According to the report, the document also bans of turnover of foodstuff containing GMOs or produced using GMOs in Ukraine before the state registration.
The ministry said that the bill was drawn up to settle the situation in Ukraine with the labeling of foodstuffs that do not contain GMOs.
The ministry said that according to Ukrainian law, producers and importers of foodstuff are to label all foodstuff "without GMOs," including those that have no relation to genetic engineering (salt, water), which is not in line with the requirements of European law and law of other countries.
The ministry said that the adoption of the law would remove extra barriers to the development of food business and prevent unjustified expenditures on analyses of foodstuffs that cannot contain GMOs.