Legislation Details
- Full Title: Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety
- Law Type: Federal Law
- Law Number: [no number] of 2015
- Issued Date: 03 Nov 2015
- Effective Date: 15 May 2015
- Official Gazette: No. 588
- Sector: Environment and Natural Resources
- Status: Active
- Number of Articles: 44
- Chapters/Parts: 0
- Amendments: 0
Summary
The Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety regulates the safety and quality of food and fodder in the United Arab Emirates. Its purpose is to ensure the safety and edibility of food circulated in the UAE, protect consumer health, and facilitate the food trade. The law applies to food businesses, imported/exported food and fodder, and all stages of the food supply chain. It empowers the Ministry of Environment and Water and local authorities to set policies, standards, and enforcement mechanisms to achieve these objectives. The law's practical impact is to enhance food security, support the national economy, and provide consumers with safe, high-quality food products. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 2, 3, 4)
What is the scope and purpose of this law?
The law aims to achieve the following objectives: (1) Ensure the safety and edibility of circulated food and control it throughout the food chain to verify its suitability for human consumption; (2) Protect consumer health by removing or minimizing food-related risks; (3) Protect consumers from harmful, adulterated, misleading, spoiled, or inedible food; (4) Ensure the safety and validity of circulated fodder; and (5) Facilitate the movement of food trade. The law's provisions apply to food businesses, imported/exported food and fodder, and all stages of the food supply chain. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 2, 3)
What are the key definitions under this law?
The law provides the following key definitions:
- The State: United Arab Emirates
- The Ministry: Ministry of Environment and Water
- The Authority: Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA)
- The Minister: Minister of Environment and Water
- The Competent Authority: The local authority in charge of food and fodder safety in each Emirate
- The Concerned Bodies: Federal ministries, government departments, and public institutions concerned with food and fodder safety
- Organization: A business licensed to trade in food or fodder
- Organization Officer: The licensed person responsible for the organization's compliance with the law
- Food: Any raw, manufactured, or semi-manufactured edible material for human consumption
- Fodder: Any material assigned for feeding animals, including additives and products used to improve animal-derived food
- Food safety: Ensuring food does not cause harm to the consumer when circulated or consumed
- Food health: Actions and measures to ensure the safety and validity of food throughout the supply chain
- Misleading food: Food wrongly described for commercial promotion
- Adulterated food: Food with added substances to reduce quality or nutrition
- Spoiled food: Food with unintended changes making it inedible
- Harmful food: Food containing hazards that adversely affect consumer health
(Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 1)
What are the main obligations and requirements?
The law imposes the following key obligations:
- Food and fodder businesses must comply with the law's provisions and any regulations or resolutions issued under it. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 9, 10)
- Businesses must obtain the necessary licenses and registrations to trade in food or fodder. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 7)
- Imported food and fodder consignments must be inspected and approved by the competent authorities. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 8)
- Businesses must implement food safety systems to identify and manage risks throughout the supply chain. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 5)
- Businesses must comply with health and precautionary measures set by the Ministry to protect consumer health. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 6)
- Businesses must allow control and inspection of their operations by the competent authorities. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 11)
What licensing, registration, or approval requirements exist?
The law requires food and fodder businesses to obtain a valid license to operate. The licensing and registration process is regulated by the competent authorities in each Emirate. Businesses must comply with the technical regulations and standards set by the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) to obtain and maintain their licenses. Imported food and fodder consignments also require inspection and approval by the competent authorities before entry into the UAE. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 7, 8)
What rights and protections does this law provide?
The law aims to protect consumers by ensuring the safety and edibility of food and fodder circulated in the UAE. It empowers the Ministry of Environment and Water and local authorities to set policies, standards, and enforcement mechanisms to remove or minimize food-related risks and prevent the sale of harmful, adulterated, misleading, or spoiled food products. The law also facilitates the movement of legitimate food trade to support the national economy. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 2, 4, 5)
Which authorities or bodies are responsible for enforcement?
The Ministry of Environment and Water is responsible for setting the necessary policies, strategies, and legislation to ensure food safety, regulating food and fodder trade, and managing food safety-related crises and incidents. The Ministry coordinates with the competent local authorities in each Emirate and other concerned federal bodies to standardize procedures and supervise enforcement. The competent local authorities in each Emirate are responsible for verifying food safety throughout the supply chain within their jurisdiction. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 4, 5)
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
The law does not specify any penalty provisions. It states that violations of the law's requirements will be subject to the penalties prescribed in other relevant legislation. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015)
What fees, charges, or financial provisions are specified?
The law does not specify any fees, charges, or financial provisions related to its implementation. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015)
What exemptions or exceptions apply?
The law does not provide any exemptions or exceptions to its scope of application. It applies to all food and fodder businesses, imported/exported products, and all stages of the food supply chain. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Art. 3)
How are disputes resolved under this law?
The law does not specify any dispute resolution mechanisms or procedures. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015)
What are the key deadlines and time limits?
The law does not stipulate any specific deadlines or time limits. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015)
How does this law interact with other UAE legislation?
The law references several other UAE federal laws that it supplements or interacts with, including laws related to:
- Competencies of ministries and powers of ministers
- Combating fraud and adulteration in commercial transactions
- Agricultural and veterinary quarantine
- Regulating commercial agencies
- Commercial companies
- Penal code and procedures
- Trademarks
- Production and trade of fertilizers, soil amendments, and nutrients
- Pesticides
- Production, import, and circulation of seeds and planting materials
- Environment protection and development
- Establishing the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology
- Establishing the Federal Customs Authority
- Consumer protection
- Organic components and products
- Prevention and combating of infectious and epidemic animal diseases
(Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015, Preamble)
When did this law come into effect?
The Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety was issued on 03 November 2015 and came into effect on 15 May 2015. It was published in the Official Gazette No. 588 on 15 November 2015. (Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety, 2015)
Source Documents
This article analyses Federal Law Concerning the Food Safety for legal research and educational purposes. For the purpose of interpretation and application, reference must be made to the original Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text prevails. This does not constitute legal advice.