Ukraine’s Dairy Sector Sets Out a Roadmap to the EU

The Roadmap is presented at a time when the Ukrainian dairy industry continues to function under the conditions imposed by the full-scale war. The sector has been affected by the loss of herds in occupied and frontline territories, damage to processing infrastructure, disruptions to energy supply, logistical constraints and labour shortages. At the same time, milk collection, processing and supply to the domestic market have continued without interruption. Processors have maintained investment activity, raw milk quality has continued to improve, and regulatory dialogue with the European Union has progressed.
The current phase of the sector’s development is therefore characterised by the simultaneous operation of the industry under wartime conditions and its adaptation to the European regulatory framework. Consolidation has accelerated, raw milk quality has improved, and a number of processors have expanded into higher value-added segments, including cheese, infant formula and specialty fats. The process of aligning the sector with European rules is being carried out in parallel with day-to-day production, rather than postponed pending the improvement of conditions.

Topics addressed at the conference

The sessions of the conference addressed the practical dimensions of the integration process. The topics included:

• the scenarios for Ukraine’s EU accession and the position of the agri-food sector within the future Single Market;
• the harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with the EU acquis and the institutional capacity required for its application;
• the adaptation of food safety, veterinary and animal welfare standards;
• the development of traceability systems, official controls and state registries of producers and processors;
• the digitalisation of the dairy value chain;
• the financial instruments through which the European Union may support the transition.

The discussions reflected a shared understanding that, for Ukraine’s dairy sector, the principal questions concern the pace and sequencing of integration measures and the institutional capacity required to implement them.

International support

The Roadmap was developed by the UDEU European Integration Committee in partnership with the Association of Milk Producers, with the support of QFTP and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Within this arrangement, the Ukrainian industry association led the drafting; the Swiss-funded programme provided technical expertise on safety and standards; and the Netherlands Embassy contributed access to the Dutch dairy expertise.
Switzerland has been engaged with Ukraine’s dairy sector since 2016 through the QFTP programme, which is implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in cooperation with SAFOSO AG.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands provides ongoing support to Ukraine’s agri-food transition. This support includes the facilitation of cooperation between the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (Derzhprodspozhyvsluzhba), as well as engagement with the Dutch agri-food knowledge network. 

Tasks for the sector

The Roadmap is structured as a description of the work required of the sector and its institutions. It sets out the tasks necessary to harmonise Ukrainian legislation, veterinary and phytosanitary requirements, and food safety standards with European norms; to develop the institutional and regulatory infrastructure required to apply those standards; and to establish the registries, traceability systems and supervisory mechanisms necessary to demonstrate compliance. Each of these tasks is mapped against EU technical benchmarks and aligned with Ukraine’s National Plan for the Adaptation of Legislation to EU Law, providing an external reference framework against which progress can be assessed.
The Roadmap thereby provides a structured agenda for the implementation of European integration in the dairy sector, to be carried out alongside the continued operation of the industry under current conditions.
The full text of the Roadmap is available online at Дорожня_карта_блок_2026_веб_02.pdf.