Ukraine: New Law on Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare adopted.
The new law was adopted by Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the second reading.
Draft Law of Ukraine "On Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare" (the bill №3318) is aimed to regulate public relations in the fields of: protection of animal health and welfare, veterinary practice, production, circulation, and use of veterinary drugs.
It is expected that this law will create a comprehensive and user-friendly legal framework for the implementation of veterinary and sanitary measures, taking into account Ukraine’s international obligations, including those provided for in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. The document implements requirements of 10 acts of European Union legislation and creates legal basis for implementation of several dozens of other EU acts.
This law introduces the concept of welfare of farm animals and creation of appropriate conditions for their management, which is a standard practice in the EU. The law also regulates key issues related to protection of animal health and animal welfare; implementation of quarantine measures; veterinary practice; production, circulation and use of veterinary drugs; organizations of public administration, education, and science in the field of veterinary medicine.
To overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance, the law will foresee a number of restrictions on the use of antimicrobial veterinary drugs. Antibiotics and other prescription veterinary drugs can be used for productive animals only by licensed veterinarians.
In order to increase effectiveness of measures to prevent and combat animal diseases, the law prescribes requirements to ensure traceability of live animals that are being moved from one livestock facility to another.
The document lays down new rules for the production, circulation and use of veterinary medicines, similar to those set out in EU Regulation 2019/6 on veterinary medicines. In particular, it stipulates indefinite state registration of veterinary medicines in contrast to the previous version law of Ukraine "On Veterinary Medicine", according to which the maximum validity of state registration of a veterinary drug is 5 years. Not only production process but also the import, wholesale and retail sale of veterinary medicines will be subject to licensing.
The law also establishes basic requirements for the production, circulation and use of medicinal feeds and intermediate products of their production.
In order to deregulate and simplify the conditions of economic activity in the field of animal husbandry, the number of veterinary documents that can be issued in both paper and electronic form is reduced.
Accredited laboratories of state and other forms of ownership will be allowed to detect animal diseases.
At the same time, the bill provides for the delimitation of grounds and strengthening of administrative liability for violations of the legislation on veterinary medicine and animal welfare. For example, for violating the requirements for the use of antimicrobial veterinary drugs, which could potentially lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in both animals and humans, the maximum fine can reach UAH 6,800. A fine of UAH 510 is possible for violation of the rules on preventive quarantine, which in most cases does not lead to any harmful consequences.
It is expected that adoption of the law will improve the veterinary and sanitary and epizootic situation in Ukraine, increase the efficiency of public administration of the veterinary medicine system, create better living conditions in the livestock sector, increase exports of live animals, animal products and veterinary drugs from Ukraine. positive impact on human health and job creation in veterinary fields.
Source: Ukrinform