On April 24, 2017 at the premises of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine the official kick-off of the Twinning project on “Approximation of Ukrainian legislation with the EU in the field of plant protection products and plant health and strengthening associated inspection and laboratory services” was held.
The project is implemented by the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP) in joint cooperation with the State Plant Protection Service of Latvia, the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Julius Kühn-Institute, Germany (JKI) and the State Plant Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania.
The goal of the project is to establish a legislative and management framework in order to achieve the proper use of plant protection products and improve associated inspection as well as laboratory systems in accordance with EU requirements.
Head of the Department of Agriculture and Technology Policy in agriculture of Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Volodymyr Topchiy in his opening speech welcomed the participants and admitted that further cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union is a priority for the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. It will help to export high-level products to the European market in future.
BC Project Leader, Head of the SSUFSCP Volodymyr Lapa underlined that approximation of Ukrainian legislation in the area of plant protection products and plant health to the standards EU will ensure the safety of products in the domestic market.
RTA, Deputy Director of the State Plant Protection Service of Latvia Raivis Grosbārdis presented all components of the Twinning project and expressed the hope for successful project implementation. The project will be focused on three components. It is planned to review and update the legislation in the phytosanitary area as well as test the operations of inspection and laboratory services.
Director of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union Maryna Kanavets expressed the readiness of the Programme Administration Office to assist and support the SSUFSCP in the process of Twinning project implementation as well as outlined the professional work of the SSUFSCP’s team.
Head of Sector “Agriculture” of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Christian Ben Hell, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to Ukraine Juris Poikāns, Agrarattaché of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine Hermann Intemann, Head of the Institute of the Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics of the Julius Kühn-Institute (Germany, JKI) Prof. Dr. Thomas Kühne, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine Gvidas Kerushauskas, Director of the State Plant Protection Service of Latvia, MS Project Leader Kristine Lifanova and other stakeholders also delivered their welcoming speeches.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union the Senior Consultant of the SIGMA and CIB Project Division of the Projects Management Unit Olena Rachynska attended the event.
For reference:
according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Approval of the Procedure for Initiation, Preparation and Implementation of the Twinning projects” as of October 11, 2016 No 700 the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service coordinates the implementation of Institution Building Instrument Twinning in Ukraine.
In addition, according to the relevant regulatory acts the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service is the national coordinator of institution building instrument TAIEX and CIB programme implementation in Ukraine.
In order to provide effective coordination of Twinning, TAIEX instruments and CIB programme the Twinning Programme Administration office in Ukraine was created, its functions are executed by the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to Standards of the European Union.
