fbpx
Size of letters 1x
Site color
Image
Additionally
Line height
Letter spacing
Font
Embedded items (videos, maps, etc.)
 

“The priority is eurointegration”: the Ministry of Health and food industry discussed regulatory changes in 2023

09/ 02/ 2023
  On February 8, the EBA Food Committee met with Tetyana Skapa, Head of the Expert Group on Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Drug Trafficking at the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. During the meeting, Ms. Skapa told business about the Ministrys plans for 2023, namely its focus on eurointegration - the priority will be given to initiatives that bring Ukrainian legislation closer to EU standards. Most of the meeting was devoted to the regulation of the food industry. Thus, the draft Order on approval of requirements for food additives, flavors, enzymes, materials and objects intended for contact with food will be finalized shortly. The document has already passed the first round of revision by the lawyers of the Ministry of Health. Thus, it is expected that the Order will contain all the lists of substances in accordance with Regulations No. 1334, No. 1333, No. 1332. It is also important to include information on the definition of food categories so that the industry has a comprehensive document that can be referred to in case of discrepancies. Therefore, in a few weeks, the draft will be submitted for public discussion, and businesses will have the opportunity to contribute to its improvement. Five orders were adopted that relate to the scope of the Law of Ukraine On Materials and Objects in Contact with Food No. 2718-IX of November 3, 2022.  They are published on the website of the Ministry of Health, where there is a list of documents registered with the Ministry of Justice in 2022. Ms. Skapa confirmed the existence of the MoH clarification on the abolition of the Biomedical Requirements from 2017. Business also shared its concerns about the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 1238, which provides for the introduction of requirements for new safety indicators (in particular, perchlorate) from July 1, 2023. Thus, there are no laboratories in Ukraine that can conduct research on the content of such an indicator, and there is a high probability that, given the full-scale war, laboratories will not invest in the necessary equipment and methods. These are potential risks for companies, especially in the context of state control. According to Ms. Skapa, discussions are currently underway with the relevant Deputy Minister on the possibility of postponing the implementation of the new requirements. In general, the Ministry understands the importance of improving the technical and material base of state laboratories, for example, to detect dioxin. At the moment, businesses are forced to order these tests from private laboratories, where prices are higher, or send them to the European Union. The working group of the Ministry of Health on the development of food regulations was established in 2014, but its members will be renewed. Regarding draft Order of the Ministry On Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 400 dated May 12, 2010 concerning drinking and packaged water, the Ministry received comments from businesses, so the document is being revised. Araft order on requirements for natural mineral water is not likely to be developed this year. At the same time, this order will not provide for the creation of a register. Also, the Instructions on the Procedure for Sanitary and Technical Control of Canned Food at Production Enterprises, Wholesale Bases, Retail Trade and Catering Enterprises will be soon abolished. Besides, the participants touched upon issues related to the agrochemical, dairy and other industries. The Ministry is looking for an alternative to the state sanitary rules and microbiological standards, which as business considered are outdated in comparison with modern legislation but are still valid for public catering establishments. Therefore, industry representatives are invited to submit their comments on improving the microbiological control system. The European Business Association sincerely thanks Ms. Skapa for her important work and attention to business opinions. The Committees representatives are ready to share their expertise and assist the Ministry in developing sectoral documents. We look forward to fruitful cooperation!

On February 8, the EBA Food Committee met with Tetyana Skapa, Head of the Expert Group on Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Drug Trafficking at the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. During the meeting, Ms. Skapa told business about the Ministry’s plans for 2023, namely its focus on eurointegration – the priority will be given to initiatives that bring Ukrainian legislation closer to EU standards.

Most of the meeting was devoted to the regulation of the food industry.

Thus, the draft Order on approval of requirements for food additives, flavors, enzymes, materials and objects intended for contact with food will be finalized shortly. The document has already passed the first round of revision by the lawyers of the Ministry of Health. Thus, it is expected that the Order will contain all the lists of substances in accordance with Regulations No. 1334, No. 1333, No. 1332. It is also important to include information on the definition of food categories so that the industry has a comprehensive document that can be referred to in case of discrepancies. Therefore, in a few weeks, the draft will be submitted for public discussion, and businesses will have the opportunity to contribute to its improvement.

Five orders were adopted that relate to the scope of the Law of Ukraine “On Materials and Objects in Contact with Food” No. 2718-IX of November 3, 2022.  They are published on the website of the Ministry of Health, where there is a list of documents registered with the Ministry of Justice in 2022.

Ms. Skapa confirmed the existence of the MoH clarification on the abolition of the Biomedical Requirements from 2017.

Business also shared its concerns about the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 1238, which provides for the introduction of requirements for new safety indicators (in particular, perchlorate) from July 1, 2023. Thus, there are no laboratories in Ukraine that can conduct research on the content of such an indicator, and there is a high probability that, given the full-scale war, laboratories will not invest in the necessary equipment and methods. These are potential risks for companies, especially in the context of state control. According to Ms. Skapa, discussions are currently underway with the relevant Deputy Minister on the possibility of postponing the implementation of the new requirements.

In general, the Ministry understands the importance of improving the technical and material base of state laboratories, for example, to detect dioxin. At the moment, businesses are forced to order these tests from private laboratories, where prices are higher, or send them to the European Union.

The working group of the Ministry of Health on the development of food regulations was established in 2014, but its members will be renewed.

Regarding draft Order of the Ministry “On Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 400 dated May 12, 2010” concerning drinking and packaged water, the Ministry received comments from businesses, so the document is being revised. Araft order on requirements for natural mineral water is not likely to be developed this year. At the same time, this order will not provide for the creation of a register.

Also, the Instructions on the Procedure for Sanitary and Technical Control of Canned Food at Production Enterprises, Wholesale Bases, Retail Trade and Catering Enterprises will be soon abolished.

Besides, the participants touched upon issues related to the agrochemical, dairy and other industries.

The Ministry is looking for an alternative to the state sanitary rules and microbiological standards, which as business considered are outdated in comparison with modern legislation but are still valid for public catering establishments. Therefore, industry representatives are invited to submit their comments on improving the microbiological control system.

The European Business Association sincerely thanks Ms. Skapa for her important work and attention to business opinions. The Committee’s representatives are ready to share their expertise and assist the Ministry in developing sectoral documents. We look forward to fruitful cooperation!

If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.

Start
in the Telegram bot
Read articles. Share in social networks

Spelling error report

The following text will be sent to our editors: