Resumption of certain requirements for grain certification creates barriers to its exports, says lawyer

Kyiv, December 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The repeated introduction and creation of new requirements for grain quality and its storage services certification creates barriers to its exports and affects the competitiveness of the Ukrainian grain market, the head of the international trade department at Volkov&Partners law firm, Andriy Zablotsky, considers.

"Law No. 5462 signed by the president on December 8 repeatedly introduced the certification of granaries for one year and renewed the need to pay an appropriate fee to the national budget, as well as resumed the requirement to obtain a grain quality certificate for grain transportation inside the country," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

In addition, according to the lawyer, the law adjusted the procedure of obtaining grain quality certificates for its exports, in particular, expanded the list of grounds for refusal to issue grain quality certificates to the market participants.

"Now they [exporters] must provide a certificate of the presence or absence of GMOs in agricultural products. Grain quality certificates will not be issued without the document, which will make exports and imports impossible. In our opinion, this creates a threat to grain exports and, of course, affects the competitiveness of the entire grain sector. If the norm is not changed, it will affect the flow of foreign currency to Ukraine," said the expert.