UAE President approves law to secure food supplies

The UAE is taking further steps to ensure there’s enough stock of food items during emergencies and disasters.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved a new federal law aimed at regulating food supply in the country.

The Ministry of Economy will implement the law in coordination with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA).

It outlines measures related to the production, distribution, storage and availability of food.

Suppliers, merchants and retailers that don’t follow the regulations will face hefty fines and jail terms.

Provider and registered merchant's obligations:

The law specifies, among its articles, establishing a record of registration and classification of suppliers and merchants.

The obligations also include the distribution of the stock of strategic commodities in the event of emergencies or disasters under the distribution plans prepared by the NCEMA in coordination with the competent authority.

The producer or importer is one who provides food commodities to distributors and merchants, whether locally or abroad. The registered merchant is someone who engages in a commercial activity related to food commodities and is licensed in the country to implement this law.

Warehouses and storage conditions:

The law obliges the registered merchant to manage the strategic stock of food commodities and the warehouse by specifying the location, area and size of the store designated for the food commodities provided that it is in the country, and to notify the competent authority of the location of the store, as well as storing the stock of food commodities under the specifications and standards adopted in the UAE.

Incentives and facilities:

The law specifies, among its articles, that it is permissible to grant incentives and facilities to the registered provider and merchant under the regulations issued by a Cabinet decision.

Penalties for violators of provisions of the law:

A fine of no less than AED 500,000 and not more than AED 2 million to whoever violates the obligations outlined in the law for the supplier and the registered merchant.

The law also stipulates that whoever violates the electronic link with the competent authority and the NCEMA to ensure the continuous follow-up of quantities, varieties and status of the strategic stock of food commodities and also violates the preservation and management of the strategic stock of food commodities will be punished with a fine of not less than AED 100,000 and not more than AED 1 million.

Anyone who violates the provision of the stock of strategic commodities in the event of emergencies, crises or disasters according to the distribution plans prepared by the NCEMA in coordination with the competent authority will be punished with imprisonment and a fine of not less than AED 1 million and not more than AED 5 million.

In the case of repeat violations, the penalties will be doubled.

Judicial seizure:

The law stipulates the possibility for employees, who are determined by a decision of the Minister of Justice in agreement with the Minister of Economy or the head of the competent authority, to have the capacity of judicial seizure officers to prove anything that violates the provisions of the law.