Ukraine Regulates Organic Food Production and Labeling

The law regulating organic food production and labelling, adopted on July 10, 2018, will enter into force in Ukraine on August 2, 2019. The new law aims to protect consumers, prevent unfair competition and harmonize Ukrainian legislation in the field of organic production with that of the European Union.

A product may be labeled as organic only if:

• It is produced in accordance with established organic agriculture standards;
• At least 95% of its ingredients, excluding water and salt, are organic;
• It contains no more than 5% of inorganic ingredients allowed in the process of organic production in the maximum permissible quantities.

Organic production and/or circulation of organic products is subject to certification, which is carried out along with the mandatory annual on-site inspection. The certificate is valid for 15 months from the date it is issued, and is a prerequisite for the issuance of the organic food logo by the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

Organic products must be marked by the organic product logo, a code number containing an acronym identifying the country of origin, the inscription “organic” and the registration code. Products featuring the words “organic”, “biodynamic”, “ecological”, and “organic”, as well as any words with related prefixes, including “bio” and “eco”, in any language, must meet the organic product standards.

The advertising of any non-organic product as organic, including the use of the words “organic product” in product names and trademarks, will be considered unfair advertising, while the sale of such products will be subject to a fine of approximately EUR 1000 (USD 1,135) for legal entities, and approximately EUR 665 (USD 755) for individual entrepreneurs.

The law does not apply to production and circulation of products intended for private consumption, perfume and cosmetics, medicines, or animals caught while hunting or fishing.

Prepared by: Igor Alfiorov and Yulia Kropivka

For more information, please contact ukraine@petosevic.com.

Sources: State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Ukrainian Parliament, Interfax and Open4Business news websites