September 26, in the framework of the 68th Session of the Council of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), constituent elections were held during which the representative of Ukraine was elected unanimously as the EPPO Vice-President. Director of the Department of Phytosanitary Security, Control in Seed Production and Seedling within the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection of Ukraine, Chief Phynosanitary Inspector of Ukraine Andrii Chelombitko has taken the office of the EPPO Vice-President.

This event became historic for the entire phytosanitary community of our country, because during the 24 years of Ukraine's membership in the EPPO, the representative of Ukraine first took the leading position in this intergovernmental organization responsible for cooperation in the sector of plant health.

Since the EPPO establishment, in 1951, the Organization has enlarged from 15 to 52 member countries and covers almost all countries in the European and Mediterranean areas, as well as Asian countries that were formerly part of the former USSR.

It should be noted that all members of the European Union are members of the EPPO. In addition to its member countries, the EPPO has established numerous contacts with the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECE).

The objectives of the Organization are as follows:

• To protect plant health in agriculture, forestry and the uncultivated environment.
• To develop an international strategy against the introduction and spread of pests (including invasive alien plants) that damage cultivated and wild plants, in agricultural and natural ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.
• To encourage harmonization of phytosanitary regulations and all other areas of official plant protection action.
• To promote the use of modern, safe, and effective pest control methods.
• To provide a documentation and information service on plant protection.

Since joining the EPPO, Ukraine takes an active part in its activities in line with guiding documents that it develops and sends to the national services of the member states the EPPO Secretariat.

With the election of Ukraine’s representative as Vice-President of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, our state has got a chance to implement plans for more active cooperation with the countries of European and Mediterranean areas in the field of quarantine and plant protection in order to provide the most effective phytosanitary security for Ukraine as well as for the whole EPPO region.