Zelensky signs legislation harmonizing Ukrainian law with EU regulations on protection of plant variety rights

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed legislation amending a number of Ukrainian laws to bring them into line with the European Union's regulations on the protection of rights to plant and seed varieties, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the Verkhovna Rada website.

The law harmonizes Ukrainian legislation with that of the EU on the protection of rights to plant varieties, seed farming, and seedlings and facilitates the registration in Ukraine of plant varieties already registered in the EU and the United States. The legislation would allow for supplying Ukrainian farmers with seeds of the latest varieties of crops strategically important for Ukraine, i.e. corn, sunflower, soybeans, and blueberries, simultaneously with EU and U.S. agricultural producers.

The legislation, in particular, introduces e-services for obtaining documents permitting imports of seed samples for research purposes and sets relevant criteria for certification agencies.

It facilitates the procedure for importing seeds and planting material information on which is included in the Ukrainian register of plant varieties.

The legislation also abolishes a lengthy and complicated procedure for obtaining a formal approval and introduces a procedure of processing applications for approving plant variety names within under 20 days.