Foreign Experience in Harmonizing Legislation in the Field of Organic Production and the Possibilities for its Adaptation for Ukraine
Lohosha R. V.

Lohosha, Roman V. (2025) “Foreign Experience in Harmonizing Legislation in the Field of Organic Production and the Possibilities for its Adaptation for Ukraine.” The Problems of Economy 2:16–24.
https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-0712-2025-2-16-24

Section: World economy and international relations

UDC 631.147

Abstract:
The aim of the article is to systematize, analyze, and explore the possibilities for adapting foreign experience in harmonizing legislation in the field of organic production for Ukraine. The article conducts a comprehensive study of foreign experience in the harmonization of legislation in the field of organic production to determine optimal models and approaches that can be adapted in Ukraine. The focus is on analyzing the leading legal systems regulating organic agriculture in EU countries, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, as well as studying the role of international organizations (IFOAM, FAO, Codex Alimentarius, European Commission) in forming universal standards. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of implementing international norms into national legal systems, the effectiveness of control, certification, labeling, and monitoring tools. Four dominant models of legal regulation have been identified: unification (EU), equivalence (Canada, Switzerland), autonomy (USA, Japan), and voluntary recognition (Australia, India). The conceptual and institutional characteristics of each model have been studied, as well as their alignment with the principles of legal certainty, proportionality, transparency, subsidiarity, and mutual recognition. Positive practices in regulatory policy, financial incentives, and institutional support for the organic sector have been analyzed. The process of harmonizing legislation in EU countries, particularly Poland, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, and North Macedonia, has been examined. It has been demonstrated that the efficiency of this process largely depends on the level of political will, administrative capacity, coordination between central and local authorities, as well as the implementation of digital monitoring tools and transparent mechanisms for interaction with agricultural producers. Particular attention is devoted to the model of multi-level governance, which includes ministries, accreditation bodies, and independent certification structures. Using Ukraine as an example, the primary challenges of implementing European standards are discussed, related to the fragmentation of legislation, insufficient development of the institutional environment, and flawed control infrastructure. A comprehensive reform model is proposed, which involves the modernization of the legal framework, the establishment of electronic registers for organic production operators, the enhancement of the certification system, and the development of a national harmonization strategy by 2030. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of an adapted regulatory model aligned with international standards will ensure the effective functioning of the organic sector, expand export potential, increase consumer trust, and improve the environmental sustainability of production.

Keywords: harmonization of legislation, organic production, international standards, certification, legal regulation, IFOAM, Codex Alimentarius, equivalence, organic certification.

Bibl.: 36.

Lohosha Roman V. – Doctor of Sciences (Economics), Professor, Head of the Department, Department of Agricultural Management and Marketing, Vinnytsia National Agrarian University (3 Soniachna Str., Vinnytsia, 21008, Ukraine)
Email: Lrv@vsau.vin.ua

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