Ukraine has joined the European platform for rural development

For the first time in history, Ukraine participated in the meeting of the Permanent Working Group on Rural Development in Southeast Europe. Additionally, as reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Minister of Agrarian Policy Vitaliy Koval signed the organization's charter.

The Permanent Working Group on Regional Rural Development in Southeast Europe is an international and intergovernmental organization and a platform for political dialogue and regional cooperation in agricultural and rural development. Its key goal is to ensure the sustainable development of rural areas in Southeast Europe. 

It is important to note that Ukraine is not only aligning its regulatory and legislative frameworks with European standards but is also promoting innovative technologies to be an equal partner with Europe. In particular, starting from February 1, 2025, there will be an exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates in the Phytosanitary Inspection System (PHIS) with the Ukrainian digital project ePhyto. From now on, QR codes will be printed on paper certificates. This will prevent the forgery of such certificates and significantly speed up the mandatory procedures when crossing borders. The introduction of ePhyto is expected to facilitate access for Ukrainian agrarians to international markets, improve control and trade efficiency, made possible by modern digital solutions in the phytosanitary sector. The ePhyto system was developed by the International Plant Protection Convention, which is part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 

Furthermore, a free application called "MY" has been launched in Ukraine to assist landowners. This free "MY" application will help users quickly view data about their land plots. It provides access to current information from official sources and allows users to view information about their plots (cadastral number, land purpose, area, and other characteristics). Now, anyone who owns a plot can conveniently view the information in a mobile application.