The Agrarian Issues Committee considered the draft law on Reducing Food Losses, Food Waste and Food Donation along with the accompanying drafts, in the second reading, article by article.
Khatia Tsilosani, one of the initiators and speakers of the draft law, explained that there is no legal framework in the country that would regulate and encourage food donation, and this draft law provides for the solution of this issue.
"This initiative is aimed at prolonging the shelf life of edible food and giving people the opportunity to use it. The main goal of the draft law is to prevent food waste”, - Khatia Tsilosani remarked.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that the draft law received unanimous support, including from opposition Members of Parliament during the first reading.
Discussions among attendees covered comments provided by the National Food Agency on various articles of the draft law. For instance, the definition of a participant in the food supply chain was clarified as a "business operator" to avoid complications in the supervision carried out by the National Food Agency.
Khatia Tsilosani clarified that the draft law does not prohibit individuals from making specific donations, especially when such donations are intended for humanitarian purposes. The draft law is designed to regulate non-force majeure cases and will not account for individual exceptional circumstances.
The Speaker expressed gratitude to international partners, organizations, including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the European Union, as well as experts and the initiators of the draft law for their assistance throughout the process. It is hoped that the draft law, once adopted during the fall session, will contribute to improving the current situation.
During the meeting, Jumber Maruashvili, a representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emphasized that adopting this law would be a significant step forward for the country in terms of food security. He also mentioned FAO's readiness to provide ongoing support in law enforcement, including technical assistance.
"It is an important bill, it has passed many filters, and many opinions have been taken into account. We will continue to work on it until it is presented at the plenary session and I am sure that we will get a perfect draft law that will finally fulfill the good goals that we have set", - Gela Samkharauli stated.
The Committee unanimously supported the second reading of the bill at the plenary session.
