34 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM UKRAINIAN SEED MARKET - IMPORT When the Ukrainian seed market needs foreign seeds, the import is mainly provided by the EU states (52%), followed by Turkey (19%), and USA (17%). However, Ukraine hardly imports cereal seeds (wheat, barley, rye, grain legume crops), as these are pro- vided by the national breeders. The only exception is corn (34% of import), but this situation changes with the opening of new seed plants by several large international companies. Pioneer, Syngenta, Limagrain, KWS, Bayer, Maisadour and others have already launched or are building their production facilities in the Ukraine. Thus, the import of corn seed decreased 1.7 times, from 54.1 thousand tons in 2014, to 31.4 in 2016. The situation with the seeds of oil crops is almost identical to cereal crops. Varieties of soybean are mainly Ukrainian; seed of sunflower and rape are imported. THE SHARE OF IMPORTED SEED MATERIALS IN THE ESTIMATED NEED FOR SOWING IN 2017 NEED OF SEEDS, THOUSANDS OF TONS IMPORT SHARE, % RAPE 2,5 82,2 SUNFLOWER 30 79,0 SUGAR BEET 1,25 53,8 VEGETABLE CROPS NO DATA 48,2 CORN 90 34,9 RYE 25 3,4 GRAIN LEGUME CROPS 80 1,2 SOYBEAN 190 1,1 WHEAT 1350 0,1 BARLEY 50 0,1 In 2016, in Ukraine the share of imported seed comprised 10% of the total import of agrarian products. Sunflower and corn seeds amounted to 81% of seed import. According to the State Fiscal Service of the Ukraine, in 2017, Ukraine imported 66 thou- sand tons of planting materials, with almost 50% of this import being corn, and 35% sunflower. SEED ASSOCIATION OF UKRAINE Established in April 2010, the Seed Association of Ukraine (SAU), unites leading international and Ukrainian companies that oper- ate in the field of plant breeding and seed production, and own breeding and genetic products. The association represents the interests of seed manufacturers and suppliers and brings together leading international and Ukrainian companies that work in the field of plant breeding and seed production in Ukraine. The association’s governing bodies are the general assembly of the association and the board. The general assembly is the highest governing body of the association and meets once per year. The board is a standing collegiate governing body of the association that convenes between general assembly meetings. The general meeting determines the quantitative composition of the board. Since July 2017, Viacheslav Gavrylianchyk (Syngenta Ukraine) has been the chairman of the board. The executive body of the association is the executive authority, headed by the executive director of the association. To date, the executive of the association is Susana Hryhorenko. [For these purposes, ] in 2011, SAU became a full member of the European Seed Association (ESA) and, in 2012, SAU joined the International Seed Federation (ISF). Since then, the repre- sentatives of SAU have participated in various meetings of ESA and ISF. [Seed Association of Ukraine was also visited by the Secretary-General of both ESA and ISF in Kyiv.] [To date ] the latest event conducted by the Seed Association of Ukraine was the meeting with the Technical Director of ESA, Mr. Christophe Rouillard (Kyiv, 30 April 2018) regarding the prospects of recog- nition of equivalence of the Ukrainian seed certification system SAU, as an independent professional association of seed industry enterprises, is actively involved in the process of keep- ing track of EU reviewing the Ukrainian request for equiva- lence. Organization works with both Ukrainian authorities and European Seed Association, providing support, preparing nec- essary information, translating key texts and drafting letters. Updates on the status of equivalence are constantly prepared and given to the member-companies and parties involved. Editor’s Note: Siuzana Hryhorenko is Executive Director of the Seed Association of Ukraine KEY FACTS ON RECOGNITION OF EQUIVALENCE OF THE UKRAINIAN SEED CERTIFICATION SYSTEM TO THE EU REQUIREMENTS Background information: IІ. The procedure of recognition has already been lasting for more than 6 years: 2011 – Ukraine requested for recognition of equivalence of the certification system; 26.05.2015-04.06.2015 - DG Santé conducted an audit and presented a report. The audit evaluated the level of implementation of the national legislation; requirements for seed production and certification; conduction of field inspections, organization of the certification system). The report concluded that “Field inspections of seed-producing crops and pre- and post-certification controls of seed are carried out appropriately, in line with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards and satisfy EU requirements. Sampling and testing of seed is carried out appropriately according to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) rules. Seed packages are sealed with official labels under official supervision and traceability in the seed certification process is ensured.” 06.2015 -09.2015 – corrections were done according to the report 16.09.2015 – the report was published on the website of the EU Commission. 11. 2016 - The Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine sent its request to DG Santé. 17.01.2017 – The European Seed Association (ESA) sent its letter in support of equivalence. 21.02.2017 – The EU Commission section on Seeds and Propagating Material reviewed the audit report and provided an update on the application, according to which its review was in the internal process. 02.05.2017 – DG Santé sent the answers to the letters of Minagropolicy (of 11. 2016) and ESA (17.01.2017), stating that the delay in the decision-making was caused by the fact that Ukraine was updating Order 71 regarding phytosanitary rules. 08.06.2017 – the EU Commission section on Seeds and Propagating confirmed that the review of the application was in the internal process. 01.12.2017 – the EU Commission section on Seeds and Propagating once again confirmed that the review of the application was in the internal process. 19.04.2018 – the EU Commission section noted that the equivalence decision was in the process of adoption by the Commission. 14.06.2018 – the representatives of ESA conducted a working meeting with the EU Commission, where they were told that the decision was still on hold due to the political reasons.