LEX-FAOC088204

This Law is enacted in order to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products, maintain the health of the general public, and promote the development of agriculture and rural economy. Agricultural products referred to in the Law means the primary products from agriculture, i.e., the plants, animals, microorganisms and their products obtained in the course of agricultural activities.; The Law covers the quality and safety standards, the origin, production, labeling, supervision and inspection of agricultural products. It provides for establishing and improving the national agricultural product safety and quality standards and monitoring system. According to the Law, the national agricultural product safety and quality standards are compulsory technical standards, which shall be formulated in full consideration of the results of the agricultural product safety and quality risk assessment. The agriculture administrative department under the State Council shall establish a commission of specialists for risk assessment of the quality and safety of agricultural products. Producing, fishing for or collecting edible agricultural products, or establishing production bases of agricultural products, in areas where the amount of toxic and harmful substances exceeds the prescribed standards, is prohibited. An administrative permission system shall be applied to such pesticides, veterinary medicine, feed and feed additives, fertilizers and veterinary instruments as may impair the quality and safety of agricultural products. The Law stipulates requirements for packaging and labeling, including packaging material, GMO Labels, animal and plant quarantine qualification labels and certification, and labels for pollution-free agricultural products. Regarding to the supervision and inspection, it sets out market access conditions on quality and safety of agricultural products, monitoring system, inspection agency qualifications, social supervision and spot checks, accident reports, tracing back on responsibilities, the inspection requirements on the quality and safety of imported agricultural products. The Law further provides for legal liabilities.