EU Opens Market for Ukrainian Oilseed and Beet Seeds
The European Parliament on April 3, 2025, made an important decision that will allow Ukraine to export oilseed and beet seeds to the EU market. The decision to grant equivalence to the Ukrainian certification system was supported by 411 European deputies, while 191 voted against it, and 13 abstained.
This is reported by AgroReview
The Seed Association of Ukraine noted that now sunflower, oilseed rape, soybean, and beet seeds will be able to enter the European Union markets without obstacles. This decision also involves amendments to Council Decision 2003/17/EC concerning the equivalence of field inspections conducted in third countries. This step will recognize the production of seed crops in Ukraine.
Importance of the Legislative Initiative
The legislative initiative regarding the equivalence of field inspection was a joint effort for Moldova and Ukraine. It pertains not only to oilseed seeds but also to forage crop seeds produced in the Republic of Moldova. According to association representatives, since autumn 2020, EU equivalence has already been extended to grain, sorghum, and corn seeds from Ukraine, and will now be expanded to new crops.
The supported document updates information about Ukraine in Annex 1 to the Council Decision, where new crops covered by equivalence are listed. In particular, crops defined by Council Directive 66/402/EEC will be supplemented by crops from Council Directive 2002/54/EC concerning beet seeds and from Council Directive 2002/57/EC on oilseed seeds.
Next Steps and Conference
Currently, a number of formalities still need to be coordinated to complete the process, including conducting a Trialogue among representatives of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission. After this, the document will be published in the Official Journal of the EU, and the changes will take effect 20 days after publication.
The further development of the grain and oil market in Ukraine and the Black Sea region will be discussed at the 23rd International Conference, which will take place on April 24 in Kyiv. This will provide an opportunity for strategic discussions and networking with industry leaders!