Food safety risks have the attention of Moldovan authorities

A team of experts from the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority of Romania (NSVFSA) participated this week in the first workshop of a series of activities aimed at strengthening the national capacities of the Republic of Moldova in assessing risks related to food safety.

The five-day workshop is one product of a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority of Romania.

The workshop was attended by representatives of the National Food Safety Agency; the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment; the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection / National Agency for Public Health; and the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure. These experts discussed with Romanian specialists the food safety policies, tools and procedures for risk analysis currently applied in the Republic of Moldova, identifying opportunities for improvement in Romania.

“One of the conditions necessary for a government to implement successful risk analysis is an understanding of the framework by everyone involved, along with the value it adds to public health, the economy and trade,” said Gheorghe Gaberi, general director of National Food Safety Agency, saluting the FAO initiative and its cooperation with NSVFSA.

It is expected that NSVFSA will come up with recommendations for the implementation of the risk analysis framework in the poultry and egg production sectors and will organize trainings for food safety staff and industry operators. The institution will also develop procedures, guidelines and instructions for a thorough application of risk analyses in the poultry and egg production sectors.
"The activities planned by FAO in partnership with NSVFSA are contributing to the provision of adequate protection of consumers' health,” said Tudor Robu, FAO Assistant Representative in Moldova. “They also will facilitate international food trade in line with the FAO strategic objectives of improving the inclusiveness and efficiency of food systems in the Republic of Moldova.”

Strengthening the national food safety system is one of the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Moldova identified in the development strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment. Improving food safety is also important in the frame of the country’s commitments under the Association Agreement with the European Union, which contributes to the Republic of Moldova's regional trade integration through the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area.
The National Food Safety Agency of Moldova — a single body in charge of food safety control along the entire food chain —was created in 2013 by merging and optimizing several institutions that have control and surveillance functions in the area of food safety.

22 June 2018, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova