Uzbekistan considers creating unified committee for food safety oversight

On March 11, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a meeting of the Public Council for Supporting Entrepreneurship under the President and expert groups to review a draft presidential decree titled “On measures to introduce a unified system of state governance and control in the fields of food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary supervision.”

The document proposes consolidating various state oversight functions related to food safety within a single committee.

Under the initiative, several regulatory systems, including phytosanitary control, quarantine oversight, sanitary and epidemiological supervision, hygiene monitoring, and veterinary control, could be integrated into one centralized body.

Officials noted that the new system could significantly simplify procedures for entrepreneurs.

Instead of undergoing repeated inspections by multiple agencies for the same product, businesses would be able to obtain market approval through a single application process.

At the same time, authorities emphasized that the unified system is expected to strengthen oversight of food quality and safety, while improving consumer protection against low-quality or potentially hazardous products.

Participants in the meeting said that proposals and comments expressed during the discussion would be summarized to further refine the draft presidential decree.

Earlier, on February 5, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis approved a law on food safety. The legislation provides for the creation of an interagency council on food safety and defines the obligations of food business operators in ensuring the safety of food products.