Institutional partnership between ANSA and LAVES

Improvement of the veterinary and food safety system in line with EU standards through capacity building and strengthening of administrative structures

The Agriculture in Moldova

As an EU accession canditate, Moldova faces the challenging task of aligning its legislation with EU standards as well as enabling the supervisory authorities to implement and monitor them. Chapter 12 (food safety) is one of the most comprehensive chapters of the EU acquis. Although Moldova has already made progress in incorporating relevant EU legal acts into national law, the EU Commission concludes that the monitoring system for food safety, animal feed and veterinary drugs must be further developed and the competent authorities strengthened.

Portrait Moldova

The Republic of Moldova is the smallest and one of the economically weakest countries in Europe.

Agriculture plays an important role and accounts for nearly 8 % of GDP and 4 5% of exports. Around 38 % of the workforce is employed in agriculture and forestry. Moldova has been a candidate for EU accession since 2022, leading to many necessary reforms.

The Project

The institutional partnership aims to harmonize the veterinary and food safety system in Moldova with EU standards in cooperation with the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES). A particular focus lies on strengthening the capacities of the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) in the areas of slaughterhouse inspections, drug monitoring and animal disease prevention. Joint activities include workshops, training courses, professional exchanges and study visits to Moldova and Germany.

Project Goals

Capacity building of Moldovan inspectors for ante- and post-mortem meat examinations and approval of EU-compliant slaughterhouses
Improving the veterinary drug monitoring system, supporting veterinarians in keeping records and raising awareness on antibiotic reduction
Capacity building on animal disease control, including ASF & HPAI surveillance programs, animal disease fund system and animal carcass disposal facilities

Results and Successes

Conducting training courses on ante- and post-mortem inspection and the approval of slaughterhouses, as well as work shadowing by Moldovan veterinarians in German slaughterhouses
Analysis of the veterinary drug monitoring system in Moldova, demonstration of the German system, revision of checklists and joint inspections in both countries
Situation analysis and demonstration of animal disease control measures, including advice on the introduction of an animal disease fund system and work shadowing of Moldovan laboratory technicians in Germany