Experts in education, law, and food safety emphasize that compliance with HACCP standards in schools and kindergartens is mandatory and directly affects children’s health. Marina Day, PhD in Law, Associate Professor, CEO of E-Science Space, and Advisor to the Center for Strategic Innovation and Progressive Development, emphasized that the legal requirements for implementing the HACCP system are enshrined in a number of legislative acts.
“The professional development of educational institution administrators and the implementation of the HACCP system is not a right, but an obligation under the law. Every school principal is, in fact, a food market operator and bears personal responsibility for the safety of children,” she stressed at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
The expert also noted that, according to Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, violations of sanitary standards can have serious consequences, including criminal liability for heads of educational institutions.
“Judicial practice shows that even the absence of properly completed HACCP logs or internal control reports can be grounds for fines and disciplinary measures,” Day noted.
In turn, HACCP implementation expert Maria Naboka pointed out that effective implementation of the system is impossible without a diagnostic audit.
“You should start not with paperwork, but with an analysis of the actual state of the educational institution. Only after an audit can you understand what risks exist and what changes need to be made,” she said.
According to the expert, one of the main problems remains the insufficient training of personnel.
“Training is a discipline. Without understanding the HACCP system, even the best equipment will not ensure food safety,” added Maria Naboka.
Lilia Voronyuk, head of the Reyon law firm, emphasized that the responsibility for violating food safety requirements for educational institution managers is real and multi-level.
“If a child at school or kindergarten is poisoned, this can have not only administrative but also criminal consequences. Today, every head of an educational institution must realize that the HACCP system is not just a set of papers, but a legal mechanism that protects both them and the children,” she said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
According to Voronyuk, the HACCP system not only helps prevent food poisoning but also minimizes the risk of fines and reputational damage.
“When an educational institution properly implements the system, it actually creates a protective shield for itself: everything is documented, all risks are tracked, and all processes are under control. This not only avoids sanctions but also increases parents’ trust,” she added.
According to her, between 2022 and 2024 alone, more than 900 legal entities received fines totaling over UAH 30 million for violating HACCP requirements, and during this period, 190 court decisions were issued for non-compliance with food safety legislation.
Yaroslav Filatov, a representative of Protech IT Ukraine, emphasized the importance of technical modernization of school kitchens.
“Today, only a small number of schools have modern professional equipment that meets HACCP requirements. Many of the upgrades began thanks to the initiative of Ukraine’s first lady, but after the start of full-scale war, the pace slowed significantly,” he said.
Filatov advised school administrators to conduct regular equipment audits in order to use budget funds rationally and avoid unnecessary purchases.
Lilia Voronyuk, head of the Rayvon law firm, reminded that administrative, civil, and even criminal penalties may apply not only to suppliers but also to educational institutions that have not implemented the HACCP system.
“Today, responsibility is not just a legal term, but a reality that protects the lives and health of children,” she emphasized.
In turn, Olena Udalova, candidate of pedagogical sciences and research associate at the Institute for the Modernization of Educational Content of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, presented a joint educational program for the professional development of teachers, “HACCP System in Educational Institutions.”
“We have created a training program that teaches not only theory but also practice—document development, case studies, and situation modeling. The main goal is to foster a culture of food safety in educational institutions,” she said.
Participants in the press conference also presented the “Food Advocacy” initiative, a platform that brings together lawyers, technologists, and auditors to help educational institutions and businesses implement the HACCP system (https://edu.centresipd.com/free-online-haccp-school).
“Safe food is not a choice, but a duty. And we are the ones who stand up for it,” the presentation of the initiative says.
The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) system is an internationally recognized risk management methodology aimed at ensuring food safety. According to Ukrainian law, all educational institutions that have food service facilities or work with food suppliers are required to implement the HACCP system.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-conference/1111177.html
Day, Filatov, Food Advocacy, HACCP, Воронюк, Набока, Удалова
Switzerland will restrict the granting of temporary protection status to Ukrainian refugees from western regions of Ukraine from November 1, 2025, according to SRF television. The decision was made by the Swiss Federal Council as part of a review of the policy on granting S status, which has been in effect for Ukrainian citizens since March 2022. Under the new rules, the state will distinguish between regions of Ukraine where it is considered safe to return and those where it is still unsafe to stay.
According to the government’s decision, the return of Ukrainians is considered acceptable in the following regions: Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ternopil, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi.
The new restrictions will take effect on November 1, 2025, and will only apply to new applications. Ukrainians who have already been granted protection status are not affected by the new rules.
The Federal Council emphasized that, overall, the temporary protection regime S remains in place, as “a lasting stabilization of the situation in Ukraine does not appear realistic in the medium term.” However, the country’s parliament had previously obliged the government to establish a more differentiated approach depending on the applicants’ regions of origin.
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will continue to consider each application individually. In cases where the applicant’s origin indicates a region recognized as safe, the application for protection will be rejected.
If the return of a particular person proves legally impossible or individually unacceptable, they will be allowed to remain in Switzerland temporarily.
Ukrainians who are unable to obtain S protection status under the new rules will still be able to apply for asylum or leave for other European countries.
The Federal Council also confirmed that the final abolition of the S protection regime is not planned before March 2027.
Experts note that Bern’s decision reflects Switzerland’s gradual transition to the selective application of protection status, focused on the level of security in specific regions of Ukraine and reducing the burden on the national migration system.
According to SRF, among Ukrainians currently in Switzerland under S status, about 10% come from regions recognized by the government as safe.
Forecast of dynamics of changes in Ukrainian GDP in % for 2022-2025 in relation to previous period
Source: Open4Business.com.ua
Imports of goods from Ukraine in January-September 2025 amounted to $60.1 billion in monetary terms, which is 17.4% higher than in the same period of 2024, while exports decreased by 3.1% to $29.5 billion, according to the State Customs Service (SCS).
“At the same time, taxable imports amounted to $45.9 billion, which is 76% of the total volume of imported goods. The tax burden per 1 kg of taxable imports in January-September 2025 was $0.52/kg,” the agency’s Telegram channel reported on Wednesday.
Traditionally, China imported the most goods to Ukraine – $13.3 billion, followed by Poland – $5.7 billion, and Germany – $4.8 billion.
Ukrainian goods were exported mainly to Poland – $3.7 billion, Turkey – $2.1 billion, and Germany – $1.8 billion.
Of the total volume of goods imported into the country in January-September 2025, 69% of the categories were machinery, equipment, and transport – $23.8 billion (with customs clearance, UAH 148.3 billion, or 29% of customs payments, was paid to the budget), chemical industry products – $9.4 billion (72.9 billion hryvnia paid to the budget, or 14% of revenues), fuel and energy – $7.6 billion (146.6 billion hryvnia paid, accounting for 29% of customs payments).
According to the State Customs Service, the top three most exported Ukrainian goods were food products – $16.2 billion, metals and metal products – $3.4 billion, and machinery, equipment, and transport – $2.8 billion.
“In the first nine months of 2025, UAH 641.9 million was paid to the budget during customs clearance of exports of goods subject to export duties,” the service concluded.
According to Serbian Economist, Croatia has expressed its readiness to consider buying Serbian oil and gas company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) if it will help to settle the consequences of US sanctions against the company, Croatian Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said.
“Our hand is outstretched – if this is the solution, we are ready for this option as well,” the minister said, commenting on the situation after the US sanctions against NIS came into force.
According to Šušnjar, if such a scenario is realized, Croatia would guarantee the stability of the Jadranski naftovod (JANAF) oil pipeline, which has been cooperating with NIS for more than 40 years, without interfering in Serbia’s retail fuel market.
“This would simplify the situation both for us and for Serbia,” emphasized the minister, who represents the Domovinski pokret party, which is in coalition with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s ruling HDZ party.
The minister noted that the NIS Pančevo refinery provides up to 20% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s oil products market, and the current sanctions situation poses additional challenges for the entire region.
“By the end of the month, we will complete the modernization of the refinery in Rijeka, which will allow us to increase refining capacity and thus help Bosnia and Herzegovina, and partially Serbia,” Šušnjar said.
He also emphasized that sanctions against NIS will not affect Croatia’s position in negotiations with Hungarian MOL on oil supplies. According to him, the country is ready to provide sufficient volumes of fuel for Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia when it is possible in terms of geopolitical conditions.
Experts note that Croatia’s possible participation in the fate of NIS could be a compromise option to stabilize the energy market in the Balkans and ensure uninterrupted operation of the JANAF oil pipeline, which is a key link of oil supplies to the region.
Biosphere Corporation has announced its intention to increase its export share in total sales from the current 30% to 50% by 2030.
According to Iryna Nesterenko, vice president of operations at the corporation, as reported to Interfax-Ukraine, exports accounted for 15% of sales before the full-scale war, and by the end of this year, they will grow to 30%, half of which will be to EU countries.
“Our first step abroad took place back in 2006 – shipments of our Freken BOK and Smile brands to Moldova. After that, we actively expanded our presence in Central Asia and the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), and in 2022, we began to shift our focus to Europe,” Nesterenko described the historical path of expansion.
She recalled that in the fall of 2022, Biosphere acquired the Austrian brand Alufix, along with production facilities in Romania and branches in four EU countries, which significantly strengthened the company’s position in Europe.
Biosphere Corporation is Ukraine’s largest manufacturer and distributor of household and personal hygiene products and one of the major players in this industry in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The company’s products are represented in more than 25 countries, and its production facilities consist of seven factories in Ukraine and Europe. Created over more than 27 years of activity, Biosphere’s portfolio of 21 own brands includes, among others, Freken BOK, Smile, Novita, Lady Cotton, PRO service, Alufix, and Vortex. At the end of 2023, the company launched a new Tea&Food division with its own Cupsoul production, represented by such tea brands as Graff and Ritz Barton.
In February this year, the founder and CEO of the corporation, Andriy Zdesenko, announced that last year the group’s key businesses increased their revenue by approximately 20% to UAH 7.5 billion, and that this growth is expected to continue in 2025.
