Ukraine continues to align its border control system with European Union standards. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved updated document forms to be used for the entry of live animals, food and feed into Ukraine.

The decision is intended to address gaps in the existing system of official controls, facilitate international trade procedures and further align Ukrainian legislation with European Union requirements.

Documents updated

The Resolution “On Approval of the Forms of the Common Veterinary Entry Document and the Common Entry Document” introduces three updated forms:

• a Common Health Entry Document for live animals;
• a Common Health Entry Document for products;
• a Common Health Entry Document for food and feed of non-animal origin.

The previously applicable forms did not fully reflect current EU requirements and, in particular, did not provide for a separate document required for the entry of live animals. This created gaps in the implementation of official controls and could complicate import procedures.

Further alignment with the EU official control system

The updated forms have been developed pursuant to Ukrainian legislation governing official controls in the areas of food and feed safety, animal health and animal welfare, and as part of the ongoing alignment of national procedures with the relevant European Union rules and the Information Management System for Official Controls (IMSOC).

The standardisation of these documents is expected to provide a clearer and more consistent framework for the processing of consignments subject to official controls at the border.

The approach reflects the EU model established under Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and the IMSOC framework, under which Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) are used for the prior notification and official control of consignments entering the Union.

What will change for importers

For food and feed business operators and other operators involved in imports, the changes will bring the documentary requirements for imported consignments closer to the control models currently applied in the European Union.

The updated forms are expected to contribute to:

• greater transparency of border control procedures;
• standardisation of documentation for different categories of consignments subject to official controls;
• fewer regulatory inconsistencies in import procedures;
• stronger controls over the safety of food and feed;
• a higher level of protection of human and animal health.

The introduction of the updated documents represents another step towards aligning Ukraine’s official control procedures with those of the European Union and creating more predictable conditions for international trade.

Source: https://minagro.gov.ua