Ukraine completes screening for Chapter 12: Food Safety, Veterinary, and Phytosanitary Policy

In Brussels, the Ukrainian delegation concluded screening meetings with the European Commission for Chapter 12: Food Safety, Veterinary, and Phytosanitary Policy. 

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Chief Negotiator Taras Kachka. The delegation included Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Taras Vysotskyi, representatives of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Health, and Ukrainian parliamentarians. 

Chapter 12: Food Safety, Veterinary, and Phytosanitary Policy is one of the most complex in the negotiation process, requiring alignment with over 2,000 EU legal acts. 

Over the course of the week, Ukraine has presented the status of its legislative alignment in food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies with EU standards. Key discussion areas included: 

- Animal health and welfare, official controls of animal-derived products; 

- Biosafety; 

- Human nutrition; 

- Food processing technologies; 

- Pesticides, plant health, GMOs, and other related issues. 

"The Ukrainian team successfully completed the five-day screening for Chapter 12. We demonstrated our vision for further implementing European standards in food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary areas. This is not only about aligning legislation with EU norms but also about strengthening the position of our products in the European market. Ukraine is ready to move forward systematically and consistently in the interests of its citizens," said Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka, summarizing the bilateral meetings. 

During the discussions, Ukrainian representatives provided detailed explanations on legislative implementation, administrative structures, official controls, monitoring systems, statistical data, and practical measures for each thematic block. The European Commission positively assessed the presented materials and noted the systematic and consistent nature of reforms in this area. 

"European integration requires a systemic approach and transformation at all levels of governance. We are not just adopting European standards; we are building a new culture of safety and quality that will serve as the foundation for Ukraine’s European future," emphasized Deputy Minister Taras Vysotskyi. 

Background Information

The screening for Chapter 12 is part of the official process of assessing Ukraine’s legislative compliance with EU law within Cluster 5: Resources, Agriculture, and Cohesion Policy. This cluster also includes Chapter 11 (Agriculture and Rural Development), Chapter 13 (Fisheries and Aquaculture), Chapter 22 (Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments), and Chapter 33 (Financial and Budgetary Provisions). 

Based on the screening results, a plan for further implementation of EU regulations into Ukrainian legislation will be developed, marking the next step in Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations. 

The next series of bilateral meetings for Chapter 13: Fisheries and Aquaculture, is scheduled for September 25-26.