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Issues of ,,food safety risk assessment’’ were discussed together with European scientists at the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture

The international workshop "Food Safety Risk Assessment" was held with the financial support of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), with the financial support of the Comprehensive Institutional Building Programme (CIB) of the National Food Agency. The meeting was intended for risk assessment and risk management specialists and was intended to familiarize with European approaches to risk analysis and basic methodologies. Reports at the meeting were presented by EFSA invited by European scientists.

,,The products produced in Georgia are quite safe. In order to export the product on the European market, it is necessary to raise promotion. The aim of the workshop is to exchange experience and face new challenges together. The consumer is protected in your country, but, it should be mentioned, that is a continuous process. Even in Europe, we face different risks da we try to defend our consumer with the purpose to avoid threats that constantly exist’’ – said Stylianos Koulouris, the Collaboration Officer of European Food Safety Authority.

The 3 day meeting focused on EFSA's role in assessing EU risk assessment, distribution of functions between risk assessors and risk management, role of independent experts, methodology and new approaches, identification of food threats and collecting data on them.

,,It is important that the economy of Georgia has achieved the level when we are talking about the assessment of risks involving scientific analysis and research on the basis of which the quality of various food products consumed in the country is established. The obligations undertaken by the treaties that we have in this direction are fulfilled. The government is ready to make decisions that reduce the risk of spreading diseases to a minimum level in the country, " - said Giorgi Khanishvili, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.

The workshop was attended by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, the National Food Agency, the Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Environment Agency, Public Health and the National Center for Disease Control, the Institute of Hygiene, Revenue Service, Customs department and by the representatives from the National Statistics Office of Georgia and by the foreign specialists from Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Armenia.

It should be noted that implementation of the principles in risk assessment and food safety spheres is obligatory for Georgia by two international agreements - the World Trade Organization (WTO) with the SPS Agreement and the Association Agreement with the European Union.