European Standards in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine

December 16, 2025 The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Draft Law No. 12285-d on bringing regulation in the field of veterinary medicine and animal welfare into compliance with European Union law acts.

This comprehensive act is aimed at full harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with EU regulations governing animal health, circulation of veterinary products, and state control. The document provides for a profound restructuring of the rules of operation for manufacturers, distributors of veterinary drugs, and feed market operators.

Regulation of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs)

  • New terminology is being implemented, replacing the concept of “veterinary preparations” with “veterinary medicinal products” and introducing clear definitions for antibiotics and withdrawal periods;
  • Biocidal products are being removed from the scope of veterinary legislation and will be further regulated by a separate specialized act;
  • The VMP state registration system is being reformed through the digitalization of registers and changes in the powers of expert institutions;
  • Manufacturing, wholesale distribution, and retail sale of VMPs will be subject to licensing, including the establishment of new requirements for distance selling.

Animal Welfare and State Control

  • The area of animal welfare is being separated from veterinary medicine and extended to all types of animals, not just livestock;
  • The concept of the “five freedoms” is being introduced, which emphasizes the mental state of animals and ensures their comfort and protection from disease;
  • A system of mandatory training and state certification is being created for individuals who directly handle animals;
  • State control procedures and sampling are being brought into line with European standards to ensure the transparency of inspections.

Strict requirements for the advertising of veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed are established, complying with the legal frameworks of EU Regulations.

State management in the feed sector is transferred to the body responsible for policy in this field, with updated procedures for registering feed additives.

The changes are aimed at ensuring the appropriate level of animal health, increasing food safety, and creating stable and predictable conditions for the entry of Ukrainian livestock products into the European Union market.

We will closely monitor further developments in this area and will report on them in future Legal News.