The EU funded project УEstablishment of an Agricultural Standards Certification and Control Mechanism in line with WTO-SPS requirementsФ has commenced its activity. Project Partner is a Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine. Target groups are all relevant state bodies and departments responsible for WTO-SPS related regulation, controls and inspection, other relevant public sector bodies, NGOТs and the private food sector and consumers. The project is funded by the European Union under its Technical Assistance Programme for the period of 22 month. The project budget is 1 400 000 EURO. In December 1993 Ukraine officially applied for WTO membership. During 2001 to 2003, Ukraine made significant steps towards the requirements of the WTO accession. According to the Directive of the President of Ukraine from September 5, 2001 # 797 УOn Additional Measures Regarding Facilitation of Entering WTO by UkraineФ entering the WTO by Ukraine is considered to be one of the priority areas of Ukrainian governmental policy. One of the major tasks during the on-going negotiations process on WTO membership issues is adoption of WTO Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary measures as a signatory of the WTO-SPS agreements. The harmonisation of Ukrainian national standards and certification procedures with the internationally recognized reference standards under the WTO-SPS agreement will be a key issue for WTO accession.

The wider objective of the project is to support the economic development of the agricultural sector through the implementation of international standards in food safety, animal and plant health in line with the World Trade Organization and Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Measures. The Project has set a number of objectives to assist the agricultural complex introduce harmonised international standards based on revised or newly introduced legislation, so as to bring the protection of human, animal and plant health in line with international standards and in compliance with the WTO-SPS agreement. All of these objectives are designed to strengthen the Ministry of Agrarian Policy in supporting the agro-industrial sector by the introduction of standards and measure that provide more efficient ways to ensure food safety and the further development of the agricultural complex in the context of international trade and the WTO-SPS agreement.

For more detailed information please contact Natalia Pogozheva: Telephone (044) 428-06-30 E-mail address project@sps-info.org.ua Fax (044) 428-06-31