Ukraine should intensity implementation of European pest control practices - UAC head

MOSCOW. Oct 25 (Interfax) - Ukraine should intensify harmonization of national and European pest control laws, without postponing it until 2026, Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) President Leonid Kozachenko said at a press conference in Kiev, as reported by Ukrainian media.

"The EU has norms and high standards that ensure not only the quality of consumed products, but also production, storage and transportation conditions safe to humans. Everything that is prescribed in European regulations must be implemented in Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine has been adapting European legislation for 17 years, Kozachenko said. By now, it has implemented 72%-75% of European directives. Kozachenko said he regretted the protracted process, as Eastern European countries fulfilled the task within five years, versus nine months in the Baltic countries.

It would be inexpedient to delay the implementation of European pest control laws until 2027, he said.

President of the CEPA confederation of European pest control associations Marc Aubry (Belgium) said, in turn, that Ukraine needs to implement the European standard CEPA - EN 16636, which provides for the certification of pest companies with the involvement of an audit certification body. He promised that CEPA will assist Ukraine in implementing the pest control system and mastering the use of this tool.

Pest Control of Ukraine President Anna Kholostova said the global pest control market was estimated at $22.5 billion in 2022. North America accounted for 51% of this market, Europe for 17%, the Asia-Pacific region for 17.2%, and the Middle East and Africa for 9%.

According to Pest Control of Ukraine, there are 923 domestic enterprises that carry out cleaning, disinfection and pest control. The capacity of the Ukrainian market by Economic Activity Classification Code 81.29, which includes pest control, is 5.9 billion hryvni. At the same time, Ukraine can aim at $71 million worth capacity of the pest control market versus $8.3 billion in the United States and $3.467 billion in the European Union. Speaking of public pest control expenses per capita, Kholostova said it amounted to $24.9 in the United States, $7.76 in the European Union, and $2.06 in Ukraine.