On 30 June 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On State Regulation of Organic Production, Circulation and Labelling of Organic Products” (Registration No. 13204-1).
The new law will replace the 2018 Law “On the Basic Principles and Requirements for Organic Production, Circulation and Labelling of Organic Products” and harmonize Ukrainian legislation with Regulation (EU) No. 2018/848 as well as more than ten European Commission regulations. This represents another step in aligning Ukraine’s legislation with EU law and fulfilling Ukraine’s obligations under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (Article 404, Chapter 17).
Why It Matters
Given that approximately 90% of Ukrainian organic products are exported to EU countries, the timely adaptation of legislation is a key prerequisite for integration into the EU single market. Furthermore, the development of organic production forms part of the implementation of the EU Green Deal and the medium-term environmental transformation of agriculture, which is becoming increasingly important in the context of climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and improving the sustainability of agricultural production.
Key Changes Introduced by the Law
The primary objective of the Law is to establish clear and harmonized requirements for the production, cultivation, and labelling of organic products in order to ensure reliable information for consumers and guarantee that products labelled as “organic” genuinely meet the relevant requirements.
The scope of the Law no longer includes non-food products such as technical fats, bioethanol, and pharmaceutical raw materials. These products will no longer be eligible for organic certification.
One of the key changes is the expansion of mandatory certification requirements. Certification will apply to business operators that sell organic products or products from the conversion period directly to end consumers, except in cases involving the sale of pre-packaged products. At the same time, distance selling, including through online stores, will be subject to certification because it is considered a form of remote sales rather than direct sales.
The Law also introduces the possibility of group certification for operators. A single group may include up to 2,000 participants, potentially enabling small and medium-sized producers to reduce certification costs.
In addition, the Law changes the approach to state control. Certification bodies will be authorized to carry out state control measures, while the competent authority (the central executive authority responsible for implementing state policy in the field of food safety and certain food quality indicators) will be empowered to approve the application of specific exceptions to the requirements for organic production.
Other innovations include the establishment of the State Register of Organic Animals and Juvenile Aquaculture Organisms, the introduction of additional traceability requirements for organic products, updated terminology, and alignment of the Law’s scope with European rules.
When the Law Will Enter into Force
The Law enters into force on the day following its official publication and will become applicable three years after its entry into force, with the exception of certain provisions (Section X, “Final and Transitional Provisions,” paragraph 1). During this transitional period, the Government is expected to adopt a number of secondary legislative acts necessary for the full implementation of the new rules.