The NPC Standing Committee--China's top legislature-- has begun its bi-monthly session. It will review a series of draft amendments, bills, and reports, including a draft revision of the food safety law. On Thursday, law makers discussed the amendment, and made suggestions.
The draft amendment proposes that a unified supervision and management system is formed to encompass state- and local-level food and drug administration systems across the country. Law makers believe it’s a positive move.
According to the bill, consumers can demand reparation, which is worth three times the loss they suffer from substandard food. The current law only allows compensation up to ten times the price of the food. Larger fines for offenders are also being discussed. Producers may face fines of up to 30 times the value of their product. That’s ten times more than the current law. If the products are worth less than 10,000 yuan , those involved can be fined a maximum of 150,000 yuan, up from 50,000 yuan in the current law.
Administrative penalties, such as demotion and dismissal, will be imposed on officials who fail to respond to food safety emergencies. They will also be held responsible for food safety cover-ups. Similar punishments will be given to officials with food and drug regulatory agencies, health and agriculture departments.
