Article · AI translation
IT Home reported on October 10 that, according to CCTV News, the State Administration for Market Regulation has drafted the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft Revision for Public Comment) and is soliciting public comments.
The revision covers 5 main areas, listed below by IT Home:
First, strengthen smart regulation. Promote the use of “Internet + artificial intelligence” in regulation; specify that food production and operation enterprises must install monitoring equipment at key risk points in food production and operations and connect real-time monitoring video feeds to the information systems of the market regulation departments of local people's governments at or above the county level; and grant regulators authority to conduct off-site inspections using Internet of Things monitoring, video inspections and other methods.
Second, strengthen the accountability of responsible entities. Require food production and operation enterprises and operators of online food trading platforms to appoint food safety directors and food safety officers as prescribed, define their duties, and strengthen training and assessment; require food manufacturers to establish a system for recording controls over the food production process; establish systems requiring postal and express delivery companies to verify senders' identities, inspect items upon acceptance, and subject items to security screening by machine; and regulate contract manufacturing by specifying the qualification requirements for commissioning and commissioned parties.
Third, strengthen regulation in key areas. Add a dedicated “School Food Safety” section establishing a system under which school principals and kindergarten heads are responsible, and a system requiring staff to eat with students during group meals at primary and secondary schools and kindergartens; add a dedicated “Online Food Business” section introducing tiered registration management and clarifying the responsibilities of platforms, livestream operators, livestream marketers and other parties; and specify that cross-border e-commerce enterprises bear primary responsibility for the safety of food, food additives and food-related products imported through cross-border e-commerce.
Fourth, improve the food safety management system. Expand food safety risk monitoring to cover food additives and food-related products; bring complementary foods for infants and young children under special food regulation and implement registration management; regulate food labeling and commercial promotion, strictly prohibiting false or misleading claims; and tighten the management of food testing and regulate commissioned testing.
Fifth, improve the system of legal liability. Set differentiated penalty ranges by category of violation; strictly enforce the principle of “holding individuals accountable,” penalizing responsible personnel for intentional violations, violations of an egregious nature, or violations that cause serious consequences; add penalty provisions corresponding to the new obligations to increase the cost of breaking the law; and implement a food safety credit management system and cross-departmental penalties for breaches of trust.
Next, the State Administration for Market Regulation will refine the draft revision in light of feedback from the public consultation and work to have the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China amended and enacted as soon as possible, providing a solid legal foundation for regulating food production and operations, preventing and mitigating risks, and strengthening regulatory enforcement.