Policy dialogue on regulation of milk quality and safety assurance system is taking new forms of effective coordination
On 14 April 2020, at the initiative of the Directorate for Food Safety of the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine (MDETAU), the online meeting of the representatives of industry business associations, experts, scientists and specialists of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP) was held to discuss the need for establishment and functioning of the working group with the purpose of improving regulation in the field of raw milk production.
Opening the meeting, Mykola Moroz, General Director of the MDETAU Directorate of Food Safety, highlighted the importance of the working group functioning as an advisory body of the Ministry. The important task of this working group will be to develop the activities to implement the transitional period in order to ensure effective implementation of Order No 118 of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine “On Approving the Requirements to Safety and Quality of Milk and Dairy Products” dated 12 March 2019 (hereinafter referred to as Order No 118/2019).
Iryna Vysotska, Dairy Component Coordinator of the Swiss-Ukrainian Program “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine”, assured that the Program will contribute to further development of the policy dialogue and self-governing within the sector and provide support through policy consultations, organization of trainings in norm drafting for the working group members and support of private sector associations.
Natalia Schyrova, Head of the Food Safety Expert Group of the MDETAU Directorate of Food Safety, highlighted the need for further proposal as to personal composition of the working group and focused on its tasks. Thus, among others, elaboration and coordination of draft legislative acts within the period defined in the strategic document are important as well as constant monitoring of the action plan related to transitional period implementation, analysis of problematic issues and finding means to address them.
Viktoria Lets, Senior Expert of the Dairy Component of the Swiss-Ukrainian Program “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine”, presented a list of legislative acts regulating the sector. Further, based on the proposals and analysis within the working group, the exclusive list of legislative acts to be elaborated, revised or approved will be addressed.
