Ukraine and EU launch third phase of food safety program
Ukraine, together with the EU Delegation and experts from the ILCA3 – EU4SaferFood project, have launched a new phase of cooperation in the field of food safety, First Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Taras Vysotsky announced on Facebook.
"This is the third phase of a large-scale EU program that, over the next 40 months, will strengthen Ukraine's control system in the areas of food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant protection and quarantine. For us, this is an important tool for practical European integration, as it's not just about bringing legislation in line with EU requirements, but about real changes in the functioning of the entire system," he emphasized.
Vysotsky noted that the program envisions real changes to the entire system. Specifically, a new law on veterinary medicine has already entered into force on March 1, and the next step will be the preparation of a new version of the law on state control and updating of bylaws.
At the same time, preparations are underway to develop a plant health framework for the law, which will come into force in 2028. These innovations focus on strengthening phytosanitary protection and updating approaches to pest monitoring to protect crops and meet EU market requirements.
Among other priorities, the Deputy Minister of Economy named the regulation of GMOs, the authorization of plant protection products according to European standards, and digital transformation. This includes the development of the e-food system, database integration, and the modernization of animal identification. The project also includes the launch of specialized online courses for specialists.
