EU recognises certificates of imported seeds from Ukraine and Moldova as equivalent

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The decision recognises beet, sunflower, rape and soybean seeds grown and certified in Ukraine, as well as fodder plant seeds grown and officially certified by Moldovan authorities, as well as the field checks carried out, as equivalent to the relevant EU requirements. The recognition of equivalence confirms that the national procedures of the two countries concerned provide the same guarantees as regards seed characteristics and rules on testing, seed identification and control as those applicable to seeds harvested in the EU, the Council said.

In accordance with the adopted decision, seeds of listed plant species grown in Ukraine and Moldova can be imported into the EU market

This also means that companies operating in the EU can diversify their seed-growing areas, they said. “The new rules will also contribute to maintaining a continuous supply of high-quality seed in the European Union,” they said.

Seed harvested outside the EU can only be marketed in the European Union if it meets the same rules as officially certified EU seed

Countries wishing to export to the EU must meet the same criteria for seed characteristics, testing, identification, marking, control and packaging as seed harvested and controlled in the EU. The certification includes field inspections, seed sampling and testing. The decision will enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication, they said.

MTI