It is necessary to create a Centre for food security and quality in Moldova – specialists

A Study financed by the European Union shows that it is necessary to create a Centre for the Security and Quality of Food in Moldova, which would be endowed with modern laboratories and equipment. The Study “Present situation in Moldova on the observance of the food market via the best practices of the European Union” was presented during a roundtable on Friday, July 6. The research was financed within the project Assistance in Implementing the Commitments included in the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Action Plan EU – Moldova in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Consultant of the Centre for Food Quality in Moldova Galina Leascenco said that at the moment it is necessary, at the request of the producers to urgently create a commission which would include field specialists and which would examine the technical development of the companies producing food, endowment with technologic equipment, testing laboratories, professional instruction of specialists etc. Also, it is considered necessary to create an Agency for Food Security, which on one hand would centralise the tasks related to ensuring the security and quality of food products and would observe and consult the companies of the food producing sector. Passing a Law on the observance of the market would establish the legal aspects in this respect, the specialised authorities, their competences and responsibilities, the quoted source mentioned. The experts present at the roundtable mentioned about the lack of specialists in the field, lack of professional improvement courses for them, according to the European standards; insufficient financial resources for ensuring efficient control over the products etc. Project Manager within the Delegation of the European Commission in Chisinau Spearanta Olaru said that the veterinary service has advanced very much lately. However, “even if in 2008 we will have the necessary legislative framework and the activity of the Veterinary Centre will be normal, the problem of investments in the private field will not be solved and the massive exports to Europe will not succeed if the producers will not reorganise the production inflow, will not change the equipment and the production methods”, Olaru said. In light of the fact that at present there are disputes between the veterinary and preventive medicine on the control of product’s quality, Speranta Olarau mentioned that the service responsible for the security of food products in the entire Europe is the Veterinary Service, and Moldova should comply with this principle. She expressed her hope that the Parliament will pass the Law on veterinary activities by the end of this year, because in 2004 the reform of the Sanitary Veterinary Service was one of EU’s conditions for financing the Food Security Programme. At present, the Veterinary Medicine Department within the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry is adjusting the legislation in the filed to the European acquis and has included in its activity agenda working out and passing norms which would clearly set and regulate both the way of registering the medical products for veterinary use and their circulation and administration. Only with the support of the Food Security Programme there were adjusted about 45 sanitary veterinary norms. The European experts were previously saying that the export of Moldovan products to EU depends only on the veterinary services and on their ability to apply as soon as possible the measures solicited by the European standards.