Granting equivalence with EU requirements to Moldova and Ukraine as regards field inspections and production of seed

PURPOSE: to grant EU equivalence for certain seed imports from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2025/1228 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2003/17/EC as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in the Republic of Moldova on seed-producing fodder plant crops and on the equivalence of fodder plant seed produced in the Republic of Moldova, and as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in Ukraine on seed-producing beet crops and seed-producing oil plant crops and on the equivalence of beet seed and oil plant seed produced in Ukraine.

CONTENT: the Decision is a technical implementation of existing requirements and amends Decision 2003/17/EC, which grants certain non-EU countries equivalence as regards field inspections and the production of seed of certain species.

In 2022, Moldova submitted a request to the Commission for the granting of equivalence to its system of field inspections of seed-producing fodder plant crops and to fodder plant seed produced and certified in Moldova. In 2022, Ukraine submitted a request to the Commission for the granting of equivalence to its system of field inspections of seed-producing beet, sunflower and swede rape crops and to the beet, sunflower and swede rape seed produced and certified in Ukraine.

The Commission examined the relevant legislation of Ukraine and Moldova, carried out audits of the official control and seed certification systems and published its findings in a report. It concluded that the requirements and systems in place in those countries are equivalent to the ones of the Union and offer the same assurance as the Union’s system.

In particular, the decision grants equivalence for seed of beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean produced and certified in Ukraine and for seed of fodder plants produced in Moldova and officially certified by its authorities, as well as to the relevant field inspections that are carried out.

In line with this Decision, seed from these species produced in Ukraine and Moldova will be able to enter the EU market. The new rules will also contribute to maintaining the continuous supply of high-quality seed in the EU.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 10.7.2025.