Ukraine: rules for international trade in agricultural produce simplified

Nieuwsbericht | 31-05-2022 | 19:37

This law will simplify export, import and transit of agricultural products to and from Ukraine during martial law. This will expand farmers’ access to fertilizers and genetic materials , will speed up procedures for export of planting materials and will support the Ukrainian organic industry.

This law foresees that until the end of martial law and during 90 days after its cancellation the following changes will be introduced:

Fertilizers and agrochemicals:

• state registration of agrochemicals imported into Ukraine, including some types of nitrogen fertilizers, ammonium nitrates, ammonia in aqueous solution, thiosulfates, potassium, calcium and aluminum phosphates, borates, chelate zinc and a number of other mineral fertilizers will be abolished until the end of martial law and during 90 days after its cancellation;

• for state registration of other pesticides and agrochemicals the positive decision of sanitary-epidemiologic expertise will not be required (it is the most lasting and expensive examination)

Organic:

• producers of organic products will be allowed to use the label “organic”, “biodynamic”, “biological”, “ecological”, “organic” until July 1, 2024, even if they are not yet registered as organic operators in accordance with law 2496-VIII on turnover organic products, but were certified by the organic certifying authority;

• Ukrainian organic producers that were certified by the foreign certifying authority, who did not yet get the status of an organic operator in Ukraine, can switch to Ukrainian production standards without an additional transition period. It also allows them to qualify for government support.

Phytosanitary:

• the list of entities that can take samples and conduct phytosanitary examination will be extended. Until the end of martial law and 90 after its cancellation, a simplified procedure involving employees of private laboratories in the examination will be applied, agronomists-inspectors will be also authorised to conduct such inspections to for audit on certification;
• phytosanitary certificate will be valid longer than now: now 14 days, will last till 30 days;
• electronic phytosanitary certificates will be allowed to be issued if the country of destination accepts it.

Veterinary:

• Cargoes with live animals destined to Ukraine will be allowed in transit through countries where there are cases of disease listed by the International Epizootic Bureau (OIE). This will allow the Ukrainian livestock industry to access modern breeding genetic material from the EU countries and expand the diversity of breeding material of agricultural animals in Ukraine.