Хураангуй:
ABSTRACT
This study examines the current state of Mongolia’s food safety system and the regulatory framework governing the import of food products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The research primarily focuses on analyzing the interrelationship between the Law on Food, the Law on Ensuring the Safety of Food Products, and the Law on Genetically Modified Organisms, with particular attention to their practical implementation and institutional coordination. Although Mongolia became a party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, it remains necessary to assess whether the existing domestic legal environment and technical standards are sufficiently aligned with internationally accepted practices and biosafety requirements.
In relation to customs control, the study evaluates the effectiveness of documentary inspection procedures and laboratory testing capacities applied to imported food products at border checkpoints. Particular emphasis is placed on assessing how GMO-related risk indicators are incorporated into the customs risk management system, as well as examining the accessibility and reliability of molecular biological testing methods currently used for GMO detection. Furthermore, the research comparatively reviews the European Union’s precautionary approach and the People’s Republic of China’s integrated quality control and quarantine system in order to identify approaches that may be applicable within the Mongolian customs environment.
Based on the findings, the study identifies several weaknesses within the existing food safety control system and proposes a number of policy and technical recommendations aimed at improving customs control mechanisms. These recommendations include expanding laboratory capacity through the introduction of rapid diagnostic technologies at border points and strengthening imported food labeling control through the implementation of an integrated traceability system.
Ultimately, the study seeks to develop a scientifically grounded and integrated customs control model capable of balancing two essential objectives: protecting national biosafety while ensuring consumers’ right to make informed choices.
Keywords: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Customs Control
