Purpose and Scope of the Code
The Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection Code of Georgia is the foundation of Georgian food law. Its purpose is the protection of human life and health, of consumer interests, of animal health and welfare and of plant health, together with the definition of unified principles of state regulation and the formation of an effective system of state control in these fields (Article 1, part 1). The Code applies to the production, processing and distribution of food and animal feed, of animals, plants and animal and plant products on the territory of Georgia, to primary production, and to veterinary preparations, pesticides and agrochemicals (part 2).
Food safety control, veterinary control and phytosanitary control connected with the movement of goods across the customs border of Georgia — import, re-export, export and transit — are regulated by this Code, by the Customs Code of Georgia and by other corresponding normative acts (part 3). The Code further establishes the basic principles and requirements of food safety, the types of state control, the general traceability requirements across production, processing and distribution, the competences of the authorized bodies, the obligations of business operators, the rules of animal and plant quarantine, export and import requirements, and liability for violations (part 4).
Key Terms and Actors
Under the Code's definitions, food is any processed, semi-processed or unprocessed product intended for human consumption; it includes all types of drinks (including drinking water), chewing gum and any substance used in the composition of food. Food does not include animal feed, medicinal and homeopathic products, tobacco and tobacco products, cosmetics, or certain other categories listed by the Code (Article 2). A business operator is a person whose activity relates to the production, primary production, processing or distribution of the regulated products and who is responsible for the compliance of that activity with the requirements defined by Georgian legislation.
The Code also defines primary production, processing, traceability, batch, label, hazard and risk, organic production and related concepts. Among them, particular practical importance attaches to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, which through the identification of hazards and their control makes the production of safe food possible, and to the traceability requirements, which track the entire chain movement of a product from production to delivery. Together these instruments define how an operator proves that its product is safe.
Food Safety Requirements
Food placed on the market must satisfy the food safety requirements defined by Georgian legislation, and the placing of harmful food on the market is inadmissible (Article 11, parts 1 and 2). Food is considered harmful if it endangers human life or health, or if it is unfit for human consumption (part 3). Both limbs matter: a product may be formally compliant with technical parameters and still be banned if it is unfit.
In determining safety, account must be taken of compliance at the production, processing and distribution stages, of the possibility of use in accordance with its destination by the final consumer, of any information supplied to the consumer (including label information), of not only the immediate, short-term and long-term effects of the food on the consumer but also its effect on subsequent generations, of possible toxic cumulative effects, and of the level of impact on the health of consumers of a special category where the food is intended for them (part 4). If food is harmful, the entire batch is deemed harmful unless detailed inspection confirms that the remaining part of the batch satisfies the safety requirements — and the costs of that inspection are borne by the business operator (part 6). Compliance does not preclude the Agency from taking measures to restrict or prohibit market placement or to withdraw the product from the market where a substantiated doubt exists that the food is unsafe (part 7).
The National Food Agency
Oversight is exercised by the National Food Agency — a legal entity of public law under the state control of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, which implements the state control of food and feed safety, veterinary control and phytosanitary control. State control of the Agency's own activity is exercised by the Ministry; the Agency's structure, functions and powers are defined by its statute approved by the Minister, and the head of the Agency is appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister upon the nomination of the Minister, as established by the Code's norm on the Agency's legal status.
Small and Family Production, and the Separate Regime for Medicines
The Code softens the load on small operators: simplified requirements approved by a government decree extend to operators holding small business status who supply primary products directly to the final consumer or to a retail point directly supplying the final consumer, to operators using traditional methods, and to those operating in high mountain regions (Article 1, part 5). State control of food does not extend to a family production subject — a natural person producing for personal consumption — although within the framework of veterinary and phytosanitary control the provisions connected with such a subject still apply (parts 6 and 7).
The pharmaceutical side follows a different regime: medicines and pharmaceutical activity in Georgia are regulated by separate legislation, so the regulatory logic of food and of medicines is built on a common architecture — safety requirements, operator responsibility and state supervision — but rests on different statutes. If your activity touches both food and pharmaceutical regulation at once, separating the two regimes correctly is the precondition for calculating your obligations accurately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the Code apply to?
To every business operator whose activity relates to the production, processing or distribution of food or animal feed, or to services in the veterinary and plant protection fields (Article 2). A family production subject is not subject to state food control.
What is harmful food?
Food that endangers human life or health, or that is unfit for human consumption. Where food is harmful, the whole batch is deemed harmful unless inspection confirms the contrary (Article 11).
Can compliant food still be withdrawn from the market?
Yes. Compliance does not preclude the Agency from restricting placement or withdrawing the product where a substantiated doubt exists that the food is unsafe despite its formal compliance (Article 11, part 7).
Does the Code regulate medicines?
No. Medicines and pharmaceutical activity are regulated by separate Georgian legislation; this Code covers food, animal feed, veterinary and plant protection matters.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assists business operators in working with food legislation: assessing food safety obligations, calculating traceability and labelling duties, applying the simplified regime available to small operators, and reviewing the legal consequences of state control. We evaluate the risks of your enterprise and help prevent and resolve disputes. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.