The label "organic" on products will be used under new rules: what the law has changed
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the Law of Ukraine "On State Regulation of Organic Production, Circulation, and Labeling of Organic Products," No. 4921-IX (bill 13204-1).
The document provides for updating the rules for the functioning of the organic products market in accordance with the legislation of the European Union and establishes unified approaches to its regulation. It is also intended to make the requirements for organic products clearer both for market participants and consumers.
As noted, the need to adopt the law was caused by the entry into force in the EU of the new Regulation (EU) No 2018/848, which significantly changed approaches to the regulation of organic production. In particular, the document provides for strengthening requirements for organic products, improving the system of state control, expanding the list of products subject to certification, as well as introducing new requirements for certification bodies and operators.
The law introduces unified requirements for the production, cultivation, circulation, and labeling of organic products. This should ensure the use of the "organic" label only for products that meet established criteria and provide consumers with reliable information about their characteristics.
Main innovations:
- introduction of unified, transparent, and clear rules for the production, circulation, and labeling of organic products in accordance with modern European Union legislation;
- improvement of the state control system in the field of organic production, which will increase the effectiveness of supervision over compliance with organic legislation requirements, help reduce cases of unfair production and abuses in product labeling;
- stimulating the development of the agricultural sector and rural areas through diversification of production, increasing the added value of products, creating new jobs in the production, processing, and logistics of organic products;
- promoting the transition to sustainable agricultural development in line with the goals of the European Green Deal. This, in turn, will contribute to climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and environmental improvement.
In addition, the law provides for the introduction of a new system of state control in the field of organic production, the possibility of group certification of operators, expansion of state registers, and the implementation of a number of European Union regulations governing organic production.
It is expected that the implementation of the Law will contribute to the development of organic production, expansion of exports of Ukrainian organic products, and alignment of national legislation with the requirements of the European Union in this area.
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