Rada passes law on adapting Ukrainian accreditation legislation to EU norms

The Verkhovna Rada passed in the second reading and in its entirety bill No. 12221 on amendments to some laws of Ukraine regarding the harmonization of the sphere of accreditation of conformity assessment bodies and the system of technical regulation with European Union requirements.

According to a live broadcast of the session on Tuesday, April 7, some 278 MPs supported the decision, with no votes against and 19 abstentions.

As reported, the bill was developed by the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture in cooperation with business, industry associations, the expert community, and international partners, and is an important step toward concluding the ACAA Agreement – the "industrial visa-free regime."

According to the explanatory note to the bill, it brings Ukrainian legislation in the field of accreditation of conformity assessment bodies and technical regulation closer to European norms. The bill introduces mutual recognition of accreditation carried out in Ukraine and the EU. Ukraine will recognize the results of accreditation carried out by EU bodies if they have successfully passed a mutual evaluation. If a Ukrainian manufacturer uses standards from EU countries that are identical to European harmonized standards, its products will be considered compliant with the requirements.

It also increases business responsibility for the accuracy of information about goods, establishes rules for interaction with the European Commission and the authorities of EU countries within the framework of the ACAA Agreement, provides for balanced representation of all stakeholders in the National Accreditation Agency, and defines conditions for conducting cross-border accreditation.

The bill was considered in the first reading on March 26, 2025, when it was supported by 286 MPs.