During a week in early October, parts of the Ukrainian equivalent of Swedac’s market surveillance coordination activities visited Sweden and Borås. The days were characterised by fruitful meetings and interesting discussions within the framework of the Sida-funded project between Swedac and Ukraine – where a rapprochement with the EU is an important aspect.
The delegation shared their impressions during one of the last days of the study visit, and it was an impressed and relatively hopeful group that summoned the days in Borås. During the meetings, Swedac shared its working methods and how its operations are organised, among many other things. For the delegation, it meant useful insights and a lot to take home to Kyiv – where the minds are tuned to a future EU membership. The co-operation between Swedac, SIS and Ukraine, that started last year, means a lot in the work of getting closer to the EU.
For the delegation, market surveillance work is still ongoing, both in the Ukrainian capital and in the rest of the country. It goes without saying, however, that the ongoing war makes this work more difficult. An air raid warning can put an end to a working day, and a planned inspection can be canceled depending on the current situation.
Strange as it may seem, the delegation says, the war has become everyday life in some ways. Carrying on with their daily tasks and continuing to fight gives them strength. When asked what their hopes for the future are, the answer is unanimous and clear: we just want to see an end to this and live in peace.