Institutional framework:                                                              

The Ukraine-EU cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary measures (hereinafter - SPS) is regulated, in the first place, by the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement (AA) which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), and, in particular, by its Chapter 4 “Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures ” of the Title IV “ Trade and Trade-related Matters ”.

Areas of cooperation in the SPS sphere are the following: animal health and diseases, feed additives, seeds and plant materials, pollutants, SPS state control, animal identification and registration, food labeling, food additives, enzymes, flavors, GMO control, animal welfare, requirements for food and feed safety, animal by-products, use of vitamins and minerals in food, plant health.

It was approved the Comprehensive Implementation Strategy (Annex V to Chapter 4 of the AA). It defines the schedule of systematic legal approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU legislation. Around 250 acquis will be implemented into the Ukrainian legislation till the end of 2021. 

Spheres of cooperation:

• reforming the system of state control over food safety, feed and animal by-products in accordance with the EU law;
• improvement of legislation on the provision of food information to consumers;
• reforming the mechanism of state regulation of production and circulation of feed;
• improvement of GMO legislation in food and feed;
• review of the maximum levels of veterinary medicine residues, pesticides and agrochemicals, as well as ensuring effective monitoring of such residues;
• improvement of legislation on health and animal welfare;
• fighting infectious and other diseases of animals;
• improving the phytosanitary situation in Ukraine and ensuring the protection of plant health.

Expected results

• Introduction of an effective and balanced system of state control of food safety in accordance with the EU requirements and world standards.
• Improvement of general food and feed safety, protection of life and health of people, animals and plants.
• Strengthening protection of consumer interests, including providing consumers with proper information on food products.
• Establishment of transparent conditions for economic activity, increase competitiveness of Ukrainian producers.
• Increased access of Ukrainian products to the EU market and access to new international markets.

Implementation of SPS provisions of the Ukraine-EU association Agreement 

To implement commitment of Ukraine in the SPS it was established competent authority - the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection. Also appropriate legislation was adopted in particular regarding common principles and requirements for food safety and quality, state control over the verification of compliance with legislation on food and feed, health and animal welfare, information for consumers on food products, food safety and hygiene, as well as of seeds and plant materials.

In addition, the following documents were adopted: procedure for approving export capacities, entering and excluding them from the relevant register, as well as the providing of their state registration; maintaining of a register of market operators and capacities for which an operational permit was issued; instruction for the prevention and control of African swine fever; catalog of feed materials; procedure for certification, issuance and cancellation of certificates for seeds and/or plant materials; procedure for labeling and packaging of batch of seeds etc. Besides Ukraine is connected to the EU Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS).

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (НАССР) is under implementation in Ukraine. It is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.

The result of the implementation of measures on approximation of the SPS Ukrainian legislation to the EU regulations is a stable trade increase between Ukraine and the EU in agricultural and food products. Thus, Ukraine is one of the three largest exporters of agricultural products to the EU member states.

Useful links:

State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection: https://dpss.gov.ua/en

Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine: https://www.me.gov.ua/?lang=en-GB

Tariff quota data: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/quota_consultation.jsp?Lang=en

SME supporting programme EU4Business: https://eu4business.eu/ukraine

Information and analytical portal of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine (in Ukranian): https://agro.me.gov.ua/ua

European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety: https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/health-and-food-safety_en

European Commission’s portal on Food Safety: https://ec.europa.eu/info/topics/food-safety_en

European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/agriculture/index_en.htm