The Council of the European Union has approved the recognition of Ukraine’s seed certification system for beet, sunflower, rapeseed, and soybeans as equivalent to EU standards.
The decision amends Directive 2003/17/EC, which grants equivalence status to third countries in the area of field inspections and seed production. This means that seeds of the listed crops produced and certified in Ukraine meet EU standards and can now be exported to the European market.
The equivalence recognition confirms that Ukraine’s national procedures provide the same guarantees regarding seed characteristics, testing rules, identification, and control as those required by EU legislation. As a result, Ukrainian seed companies gain new export opportunities, while European businesses can expand their production geography.
“This historic decision is the result of years of work by Ukrainian authorities in cooperation with agricultural associations and industry experts. It was adopted and supported by both the European Parliament and the EU Council,” emphasized Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval.
The decision will enter into force 20 days after its official publication in the EU’s Official Journal.
Background:
In 2020, the EU recognized the equivalence of Ukraine’s seed certification system for cereals (Decision No. 2020/1544 of October 21, 2020), enabling the export of wheat, triticale, oats, barley, rice, rye, corn, and sorghum seeds produced in Ukraine to EU countries.
