In Ukraine, starting January 31, 2026, the procedure for admission to economic activity in veterinary practice will change: the possibility of working on a declarative basis will be abolished, and mandatory licensing will be introduced, according to the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.
“From January 31, 2026, it will no longer be possible to obtain a license to engage in veterinary practice by submitting a declaration. From now on, all entities engaged in veterinary practice must obtain a license,” the agency commented on the annex to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 314.
Business entities that previously started operating under a simplified procedure based on a declaration must undergo the licensing process within three months. The deadline for submitting documents to the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection is April 30, 2026.
There are two main ways for entities that already report or plan to submit documents. According to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 795, documents can be submitted electronically through the “Dія” portal as part of a pilot project to introduce a unified state electronic system for permits. It is also still possible to submit an application in paper form in accordance with the licensing conditions approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 896.
The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has drawn the attention of businesses to the need for strict compliance of the material and technical base and staff qualifications with established standards. The transition to a licensing model involves a thorough check of documents confirming the relevant education of employees and the condition of the premises.
The updated rules are aimed at adapting the veterinary sector to European Union standards and ensuring the stable functioning of the veterinary services market under martial law. Working without a license after the transition period ends on April 30 will be considered illegal.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation mechanisms on veterinary and biosecurity requirements, and discussed joint initiatives at the global level regarding common requirements under trade agreements and individual bilateral veterinary certificates, the Economy Ministry said on its website. The corresponding decision was made during a meeting between First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Oleksiy Liubchenko and Acting Deputy Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Jason Hafemeister during a working visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the United States.
According to the ministry, the parties also confirmed a common vision of the strategic goals of agricultural policy in matters of climate neutrality and overcoming hunger. In addition, Ukraine and the United States agreed on a common position within the framework of the UN Food Systems Summit, which will be held on September 23 this year, to achieve sustainable development goals, including overcoming hunger.
In addition, the Ukrainian side called on American companies to increase the supply of modern technologies in the Ukrainian market. The parties also discussed the involvement of American companies in the implementation of land reclamation projects in Ukraine as part of efforts to counter the negative consequences of climate change.
Authorized bodies of Ukraine and Chine have approved an international veterinary certificate for exporting frozen beef from Ukraine, according to a posting on the website of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection of Ukraine.
As reported, the authority expects that in 2019-2020 some 24 states would open their markets for Ukrainian poultry products.
In 2018, Ukraine opened 85 new markets for various types of products and increased the number of companies authorized to export animal products.
