Food safety in Ukraine is controlled by five different executive authorities: State Sanitary-epidemiological Service of Ukraine, State Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service of Ukraine, State Plant Quarantine Service of Ukraine, State Inspection of Ukraine on Consumer Rights Protection, State Environmental Inspection of Ukraine. It is possible to imagine, the load on inspection, which lies down on the food industry enterprises, in fact, audits, which are performed by different bodies, often follow one after another, herewith all of them in most cases check the same parameters. It should be also stated that in most cases the number of inspections performed and the amount of collected fines is the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of these bodies.

The above factors, as well as the existence in each of the Services their own interests, led to the fact that the current system of food safety is not effective, companies are suffering from regular inspections, and the consumer cannot be sure that he buys a safe product. For this reason, reform the existing system of granting all powers of a single supervisory body looks absolutely logical step. Moreover, it is consistent with the harmonization of national legislation with European, because all EU member states have either already established or are on the way to the only body of food safety control in the production process from field to final consumer.

"We should admit that the obstacles that arise in the way of reforming the current system of food safety, and arguments which suggest the opponents of this reform, primarily due to the reluctance of representatives of supervisory authorities from which will lose these  powers and give back certain spheres of influence, - says Alexander Verzhyhovskyy, an expert on quality and safety of agricultural products of the Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club" (UCAB). - A reform essentially involves concentration of all professionals, involved in the control and monitoring processes, in one body structure that will allow to maximize the transparency of their work and the level of food safety in general. "

UCAB hopes that the best practices of European countries, as well as a care for safety of domestic consumers of food prevails, and the related reform will be soon implemented.