FNC approves bill on biosafety of genetically-modified organisms

The Federal National Council, FNC, approved a federal bill on the biosafety of genetically-modified organisms, GMOs, and their products, during the fourth meeting of the first regular session of its 17th legislative session today at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. .

The bill aims to safeguard human health, local genetic resources and biological diversity, as well as ensure the control, reduction, elimination and treatment of resulting damage. The bill also aims to achieve environmental protection during the processes of developing, manufacturing, producing, transporting or handling genetically-modified organisms and their products.

The provisions of the draft law are applicable to the import, export, re-export, transit, circulation, development, manufacture, production and transfer of genetically-modified organisms and their products, as well as other products containing genetically-modified organisms or compounds containing 0.9 percent or more of genetically-modified components. The UAE Cabinet has the right to issue a decision to amend this percentage.

The council also created an article in the draft law that stresses the importance of establishing a registry at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment of establishments that produce, develop, trade, export, import and transit genetically-modified organisms and their products.

A French parliamentary delegation, which included Jean-Marie Bockel, Chairman of the French-Gulf Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and members of the French National Assembly attended part of the FNC session.

Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the FNC, welcomed the delegation, stating, "I would like to express the appreciation of the FNC for the progress in the relations between the UAE and France in political, economic, military, cultural and scientific areas. We look forward to enhancing our cooperation and coordination, especially as our two countries have global development visions and common social values."

"We are proud of the harmony of our visions and strategies and our joint political stances at regional and international issues based on maintaining peace, security, sovereignty and stability in the Middle East. We hope that our future relationship will be more established and multidimensional, especially in terms of our parliamentary ties, in the interest of our peoples. We will work with your committee to invest in all opportunities necessary for the growth and prosperity of our relations," Ghobash said in conclusion.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.