In line with this year’s World Food Safety Day theme, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, hosted an international event on 10 June 2025, titled “Food Safety: Science in Action.”

The meeting was organized by the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (AFQI), which acts as the Codex Contact Point for Poland, in collaboration with Poland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union and the FAO Liaison Office in Brussels.

The venue of the event was not accidental, as in the first half of 2025, Poland chairs work in the Council of the European Union - the EU's main decision-making body - on, among other things, the Codex Alimentarius. The motto of the Polish presidency is “Security, Europe!” in various dimensions, including food.

World Food Safety Day brought together distinguished representatives from relevant international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union institutions, as well as experts from Poland and across the EU member states.

The discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities of applying science-based, evidence-driven approaches to food policy, risk management, and the resilience of food supply chains in an increasingly complex global environment.

Beyond the expert panels, the event served as a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and closer international cooperation — all in support of a common objective: building a safe, sustainable, and resilient food system for everyone.

The event was opened by Przemysław Rzodkiewicz, Chief Inspector of AFQI, who emphasized the pivotal role of science in building safe food systems.

Distinguished speakers included:

• Corinna Hawkes, Director, FAO Food Systems and Food Safety Division
• Betül Vazgeçer, Vice-Chair, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission
• Sebastien Goux, Deputy Head of Unit, DG SANTE, European Commission
• Vittorio Fattori, FAO Food Safety Foresight Programme
• Peter Hoejskov, WHO Regional Food Safety Expert.

The event fostered valuable international dialogue and cooperation on food safety and was very positively received by all participants.

Concurrently with the event in Brussels, Poland hosted FoodFakty Safety Week 2025 — an online series of expert lectures, panel discussions, and debates that has played an important role in promoting food safety for years. This year’s edition took place from 9 to 13 June and attracted several hundred online participants each day.

More information is available at: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/news-and-events/news-details/en/c/1737390/.

Together, both initiatives underscore Poland’s continued commitment to advancing food safety through science, dialogue, and international cooperation — contributing to the development of a safer and more resilient global food system.

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World Food Safety Day 2025 news