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12 October 2020, 11:37
Today, on the store shelves next to traditional dairy products, you can find very similar goods, which, however, do not have the same nutritional value. These products may contain additives and substitutes, such as: vegetable (palm) fats, proteins, lactose substitutes, artificial colors and other ingredients, added to reduce the value of the product. The cost of such products, however, is not much lower than the cost of the original dairy products. In most cases such goods are sold next to original milk and dairy products. Very often customers do not even guess that these so called “dairy products” have nothing to do with the milk.
Thus, according to the authors of the bill No. 3516, the market of dairy products violates the rules of fair competition between producers of traditional and imitation dairy products on the one hand, and on the other hand, violates the right of consumers to obtain necessary reliable information about the product. To address these issues, the initiators of the draft law say, the draft Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Food Products Imitating Milk and Dairy Products” was developed.
What does draft law No. 3516propose to change?
1. The terminology. The document proposes to clearly define milk as a product of animal origin. It also gives the definition of the foodstuffs that imitate milk.
2. Production requirements. The draft law stipulates that not only milk and raw milk, but also dairy and food products that imitate milk shall meet the requirements for safety and quality established by the legislation of Ukraine.
3. Requirements for the labelling of raw milk, dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products. In the names and trademarks of foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products the following wording is prohibited for use: the words “milk” and any derivatives (monosyllabic) of it; names of animals (cows, sheep, goats, buffaloes, mares); images of milk, dairy products, cows, sheep, goats, buffaloes, mares.
4. The draft law sets requirements for the safety and quality of dairy products and products that imitate them. In the production of dairy products, the use of fats and proteins of non-dairy origin is prohibited. Milk, raw milk, dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products are subject to state control in accordance with the Law of Ukraine.
5. Requirements for the sale of dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk. The draft law stipulates that food retailers are required to place dairy products separately (in other sections, on other racks, shelves, counters) from food products imitating milk and dairy products, and from other foodstuffs. Places where dairy products are sold shall be marked “Dairy Products”. Placing (sections, racks, shelves, counters) of food products that imitate milk and dairy products should be marked with the following text: “Imitation products. Contain substitutes for milk components”. Violation of the requirements for the sale of dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate them, entails the fine on food market operators in the amount of five to eight minimum wages.
In addition, to stimulate the production of natural dairy products, the draft law proposes to introduce a surcharge of 25 percent to the purchase price for raw milk.
The authors of the draft law claim that its provisions are conceptually consistent with the approaches provided by the EU legislation, namely Council Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007.
After considering the draft, the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU will publish its opinion on whether the document complies with EU law and Ukraine’s obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union.
Safety of dairy and imitation dairy products
We have a draft law No. 3516 #AtTheCommitteeConsideration, which binds the manufacturers of the imitation milk to honestly label their products.Today, on the store shelves next to traditional dairy products, you can find very similar goods, which, however, do not have the same nutritional value. These products may contain additives and substitutes, such as: vegetable (palm) fats, proteins, lactose substitutes, artificial colors and other ingredients, added to reduce the value of the product. The cost of such products, however, is not much lower than the cost of the original dairy products. In most cases such goods are sold next to original milk and dairy products. Very often customers do not even guess that these so called “dairy products” have nothing to do with the milk.
Thus, according to the authors of the bill No. 3516, the market of dairy products violates the rules of fair competition between producers of traditional and imitation dairy products on the one hand, and on the other hand, violates the right of consumers to obtain necessary reliable information about the product. To address these issues, the initiators of the draft law say, the draft Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Food Products Imitating Milk and Dairy Products” was developed.
What does draft law No. 3516propose to change?
1. The terminology. The document proposes to clearly define milk as a product of animal origin. It also gives the definition of the foodstuffs that imitate milk.
2. Production requirements. The draft law stipulates that not only milk and raw milk, but also dairy and food products that imitate milk shall meet the requirements for safety and quality established by the legislation of Ukraine.
3. Requirements for the labelling of raw milk, dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products. In the names and trademarks of foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products the following wording is prohibited for use: the words “milk” and any derivatives (monosyllabic) of it; names of animals (cows, sheep, goats, buffaloes, mares); images of milk, dairy products, cows, sheep, goats, buffaloes, mares.
4. The draft law sets requirements for the safety and quality of dairy products and products that imitate them. In the production of dairy products, the use of fats and proteins of non-dairy origin is prohibited. Milk, raw milk, dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk and dairy products are subject to state control in accordance with the Law of Ukraine.
5. Requirements for the sale of dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate milk. The draft law stipulates that food retailers are required to place dairy products separately (in other sections, on other racks, shelves, counters) from food products imitating milk and dairy products, and from other foodstuffs. Places where dairy products are sold shall be marked “Dairy Products”. Placing (sections, racks, shelves, counters) of food products that imitate milk and dairy products should be marked with the following text: “Imitation products. Contain substitutes for milk components”. Violation of the requirements for the sale of dairy products and foodstuffs that imitate them, entails the fine on food market operators in the amount of five to eight minimum wages.
In addition, to stimulate the production of natural dairy products, the draft law proposes to introduce a surcharge of 25 percent to the purchase price for raw milk.
The authors of the draft law claim that its provisions are conceptually consistent with the approaches provided by the EU legislation, namely Council Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007.
After considering the draft, the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU will publish its opinion on whether the document complies with EU law and Ukraine’s obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union.