Moldova-EU collaboration in health, food safety discussed in Brussels

Chisinau, 31 March /MOLDPRES/ – During his working visit to Belgium, Prime Minister Pavel Filip met with Vytenis Andriukatis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. The parts discussed prospects of development actions and the Moldova-EU cooperation in health and food safety sectors, the priority reform agenda of the Government of Moldova, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.  
Prime Minister Filip and Commissioner Andriukatis exchanged views on the efforts to harmonize national legislation with EU standards, including the reform of primary health care service and public health surveillance. In context, Pavel Filip informed the European Commissioner about the measures taken for providing citizens with essential medicines at affordable prices, highlighting efforts to improve the legal framework in the pharmaceutical sector in strict compliance with commitments under the Association Agreement. Another example of the functionality of the legal framework, exposed the premier, refers to actions to control tobacco.
The two officials evoked interest to identify new opportunities to advance cooperation in priority areas while underlining the importance of strengthening the capacities of Moldovan competent. The prime minister thanked for the support received from the EU and directly to the Directorate of Health to equip and international accreditation of the Laboratory for food safety, adjustment to EU requirements to the control, authorization and veterinary certification of food products.
At his part, Commissioner reiterated the importance and the need to harmonize national legislation fully with European standards of food safety. "For the EU, it is a priority for Moldova to align with international standards on tobacco control. It is also necessary to strengthen institutional capacity and cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the National Agency for Food Safety, encourage economic agents from Moldova to participate in European assessment, which would allow expansion of Moldovan exports of animal products to the European market," said Commissioner Andriukatis.
The parts spoke also about the development of the Action Plan to improve the situation in the agricultural sector, both to protect national food security, as well as to enable Moldovan exports of animal origin to the EU market.