Ukraine’s Seed Certification Scheme to be recognized by the EU
The European Commission proposed to the European Parliament and the Council to recognize the equivalence of Ukraine’s seed certification system to the requirements of the EU.
The decision dated 7 April 2020 was published on the official website of the European Commission (Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the council).
This document specifies that according to the results of examination of the Ukrainian legislation, conducted by the European Commission, there are regulations in Ukraine ensuring the same level and procedures of seeds examination, identification, marking and control as established in the EU.
The recognition of the equivalence of the seed certification system will open European market for the seeds grown in Ukraine. This, in turn, would further deepen EU-Ukraine trade relations and contribute to increasing of investments of the European companies in growing seeds in Ukraine to diversify their production capacity thus reducing the risks of production in one climatic zone. Recognition of the equivalent certification system will maintain continuous supply of high quality seeds to the EU.
Ukraine submitted to the Commission a request to treat its cereal seeds as equivalent in line with Council Decision 2003/17/EC in 2011. Following that request, in 2015 European Commission carried out an official audit of the Ukrainian seed certification system. Ukrainian authorities have complied – and this has been recognized in the official report – with every European recommendation on this matter. In April 2020, the European Commission recommended the European Parliament and the Council to recognize the equivalence of the Ukrainian seed certification system.
