On April 3, 2025, the European Parliament approved a decision to grant the EU equivalence status to the certification system and to seeds of oilseed crops and beet produced in Ukraine.
According to the Seed Association of Ukraine, the decision was supported by 411 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), with 191 voting against and 13 abstaining.
"According to the adopted decision, sunflower seeds, oilseed rape, soybeans, and beet seeds will gain access to EU markets," the association specified.
It is noted that the European Parliament’s decision will amend Council Decision 2003/17/EC of 16 December 2002 concerning the equivalence of field inspections carried out in third countries on seed production, as well as the equivalence of seed production itself in those countries.
"The legislative initiative [COM(2024)0052 – C9-0026/2024 – 2024/0027(COD)] was a joint proposal concerning Moldova and Ukraine. It addresses the equivalence of field inspections conducted in those countries, in particular with regard to forage crop seeds from the Republic of Moldova, and the equivalence of beet and oilseed crop seeds (three crops) produced in Ukraine," the association added.
Since autumn 2020, the EU has already recognized the equivalence of Ukrainian cereal, sorghum, and maize seeds. Under the adopted legislation, Annex 1 of Council Decision 2003/17/EC will be updated with new information about Ukraine. In the list of third countries whose seeds are recognized as meeting EU requirements, new crop types will now be listed for Ukraine.
"The crops listed under Council Directive 66/402/EEC on the marketing of cereal seed will now be supplemented by those included in Council Directive 2002/54/EC on the marketing of beet seed, and Council Directive 2002/57/EC on the marketing of seed of oil and fiber plants (specifically for Brassica napus, Glycine max, and Helianthus annuus)," the association explained.
Several formal steps remain to be completed as part of the legislative process (the so-called Trilogue between representatives of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission). After that, the final document will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).
The changes will come into effect on the 20th day after their official publication.
