The draft law introduces a ban on the cultivation and breeding of genetically modified plants and animals on Russian territory with the exception of for expert review and research purposes.
The draft federal law On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation with regard to Improving State Regulation of Genetic Engineering (hereinafter draft law) has been drafted by the Ministry of Science and Education pursuant to the instructions from the President of Russia following his meeting with members of the Security Council “The Status and Problems of Ensuring National Security in the Context of GMO Uses.”
The draft law introduces amendments to the federal laws On State Regulation of Genetic Engineering, On Seed Growing, and On Protection of the Environment, as well as to the Russian Code of Administrative Offences, designed to improve state regulation of genetic engineering to minimise human and environmental risks.
The draft law bans the cultivation and breeding of genetically modified plants and animals on Russian territory with the exception of for expert review and research purposes.
The draft law also establishes a control procedure for releasing GMOs into the environment and monitoring the human and environmental impact of GMOs and products developed with the use of such organisms or containing such organisms, and makes it incumbent on the importers of such organisms and products to comply with the required registration procedure.
It is proposed that the Government be empowered to ban the import into Russia of said organisms and products based on monitoring results.
Furthermore, the draft law introduces administrative responsibility for the use of GMOs in violation of the specified forms and conditions of use.
The adoption of the draft law will be conducive to ensuring human and environmental security in the process of genetic engineering and the use of its results.
The draft law was discussed and approved at a Government meeting on 29 January 2015.