The Ukrainian Delegation Participated in a Bilateral Meeting with the European Commission on the Harmonization of Consumer Rights Protection Legislation

A bilateral meeting between representatives of Ukraine and the European Commission took place in Brussels as part of the official screening of Ukraine’s legislation for compliance with EU law under Chapter 28 – “Consumer Protection and Health.” The event marked an important stage in Ukraine’s European integration process and its preparation for accession to the European Union.

During the meeting, the Ukrainian delegation presented progress in implementing European standards, particularly EU Directive 2006/114/EC on misleading and comparative advertising. Representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine emphasized that harmonizing legislation in this area is not only a fulfillment of obligations to the EU but also a key step toward creating a transparent advertising market in Ukraine, where fair competition and consumer rights protection are top priorities. During the discussions, the parties reviewed the progress made, potential challenges, and ways to address them.

As part of the official screening, discussions were also held on the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with EU requirements in the field of veterinary medicinal products. Presentations were delivered by the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Taras Vysotskyi, and the First Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Oleh Osiyan. The discussions included a 30-minute Q&A session and a productive exchange of views with representatives of the European Commission on further steps in this area.

Participants in the screening included representatives of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, specifically First Deputy Head Oleh Osiyan, Deputy Head Andrii Kreitor, and expert Yuriy Kosenko. They outlined the level of compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU standards and presented clear roadmaps for its further adaptation.

This bilateral meeting was another step towards Ukraine’s European integration, as the process of legislative harmonization not only formally brings the country closer to the EU but also aims at the real protection of Ukrainian citizens’ rights and the creation of equal business conditions. The Ukrainian side reaffirmed its commitment to the shared goal of developing a modern and efficient legal system that meets European standards.

Food safety control: Ukraine and Moldova strengthen cooperation

Within the framework of international cooperation with the National Accreditation Centre of the Republic of Moldova (MOLDAC), the Head of the National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues Control, Dr. Mariana RYDCHUK, participated as an expert in the assessment of HPLC-MS/MS methods for testing food of animal origin for residues of veterinary medicinal products at the Laboratory of Food Products and Animal Feed, I.P. National Center of Animal, Plant Health and Food Safety (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova), for which the laboratory applied to extend the scope of accreditation in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 17025:2019.

It demonstrates the high level of competence of our specialists and is an important step towards strengthening international cooperation in the field of food safety.

 

Practical part of the workshop “Antibiotic resistance: global crisis, problems and solutions”

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing problems in modern medicine, both in human and veterinary medicine. The misuse of antibiotics in animal husbandry leads to the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria that can be transmitted to humans through food and direct contact. This poses a serious threat to public health and calls into question the effectiveness of treatment of infectious diseases.

That is why the training seminar «Antibiotic resistance: Global Crisis, Problems and Solutions», organised by the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection and the State Scientific-Research Control Institute of Veterinary Medicinal Products and Feed Additives, is extremely relevant. Today, in the practical part of the workshop, leading experts in bacteriology and microbiology from the laboratories of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection engaged in a detailed study of modern methods for determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms.

The participants focused on the following important issues

– Disc diffusion method: Despite its simplicity, this classic method remains one of the most widely used in microbiological laboratories. D.O. Ordynska, a researcher at SRIEF’s Bacteriology Department, gave a detailed masterclass on the finer points of its application.

– Serial dilution method: this method makes it possible to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of an antibiotic, i.e. the lowest concentration of the drug that inhibits the growth of bacteria. L. Ostrovska, senior scientist at the State Scientific-Research Control Institute of Veterinary Medicinal Products and Feed Additives, shared her experience of using this method in practice.

– Use of automated microbiological analysers: modern automated systems greatly simplify and speed up the process of determining antimicrobial susceptibility. The details of the use of the Vitek 2 compact analyser will be presented by I. Kushnir, Head of the Laboratory of Bacteriological Control of Quality and Safety of Veterinary Preparations of SCIVP, T. Stetsko, Head of the Laboratory of Control of Chemotherapeutic Preparations of SCIVP, I. Musiyets, Head of the Research Department of Bacteriology of SILDVM, L. Ostrovska and I. Semen, Senior Research Scientists of SCIVP.

The exchange of experience between leading experts is essential to improve the effectiveness of the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The results of this workshop will contribute to the improvement of laboratory diagnostics and the development of new strategies for the rational use of antibiotics in both veterinary and human medicine.