Intensification of German-Ukrainian cooperation for greater food safety BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and Ukrainian partner authority sign joint Memorandum of Understanding
What it's about:
Together with the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP), the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) signed a memorandum of understanding that strengthens bilateral cooperation in the field of food and feed safety between Germany and Ukraine. It provides a framework for joint capacity building and exchange in scientific risk assessment, particularly for food and feed. BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Vice-President Dr Tewes Tralau and SSUFSCP Director Dr Serhii Tkachuk signed the Memorandum of Understanding during the high-level dialogue meeting of German-Ukrainian association of agricultural, forestry and the agrarian sector in Berlin on 17 January 2026.
The meeting and the signing of the memorandum of understanding paved the way for more intensive cooperation between the two institutes. The aim is to develop joint capacities in order to promote public health and consumer protection in Germany and Ukraine. In addition, the exchange of knowledge and scientific expertise is to be promoted, thereby further improving the quality of risk assessment. Joint working groups, guest programmes, workshops and projects are to help identify and share scientific information.
The SSUFSCP is Ukraine's central government authority for food safety, animal health, plant protection, veterinary matters and consumer protection. It has regional structures, a central reference laboratory and several subordinate institutions for monitoring, sampling and diagnostics. In addition, the SSUFSCP is responsible for monitoring imports and exports in Ukraine's agricultural and food sector.
About the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It protects people's health preventively in the fields of public health and veterinary public health. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment provides advice to the Federal Government as well as the Federal States (‘Laender’) on questions related to food, feed, chemical and product safety. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment conducts its own research on topics closely related to its assessment tasks.