Ukraine has officially joined the international ePhyto system.

As reported by Ukrinform, this was announced by the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

“From now on, Ukraine holds the official status of a country capable of exchanging electronic phytosanitary certificates through the international ePhyto system with 124 countries worldwide, including the USA, Canada, EU countries, and Oceania. <…> This opens up new opportunities for Ukrainian producers, simplifies trade procedures, and makes the certification system more transparent and efficient,” stated the head of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Serhiy Tkachuk.

The first electronic phytosanitary certificate has already been issued.

It is noted that the implementation of ePhyto will enhance the trust of international partners and the competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural products, particularly grains, and will facilitate their unhindered circulation in the global market.

The use of this system helps to prevent the forgery of phytosanitary certificates and streamlines procedures in international trade.

Moreover, it also increases transparency in the exchange of certificates between countries, boosts the diversification of Ukrainian exports, and aids in preventing unauthorized imports of plant products.

In Ukraine, the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates is conducted through the Phytosanitary Inspection System (PHIS) with the ePhyto solution, which was developed and implemented with the support of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GIZ), the EU project EU4SaferFood, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The agency noted that the quarantine, phytosanitary, and re-export phytosanitary certificates issued will feature a QR code that can be used to verify the authenticity of the document.

As previously reported, ePhyto is an international system that allows for the electronic exchange of phytosanitary certificates through a specialized platform known as ePhyto Hub. This platform was developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which is part of the FAO.

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 1229 on October 25, 2024, regarding the digitalization of services in the field of phytosanitary measures. The resolution will come into effect three months after its publication.