LEGAL REGULATION AND CERTIFICATION OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE

The article examines the current state and prospects of development of the national regulatory system in the sphere of organic agricultural production. It is shown that the existing state control system of organic production in Ukraine, built on the basis of the combined (public-private) European model, tends to be rather complicated and entangled, while the powers and responsibilities of the state authorities are too dispersed and the procedures of conversion to organic production and its certification are not clearly determined. It is grounded that the present regulatory and certification systems of organic production in Ukraine do not operate in a proper way because of a considerable delay of the necessary bylaws development and adoption; a notable lack of highly qualified and well-trained professionals in the field of organic standards, in particular among the public servants of the respective state authorities; indeterminacy of penal sanctions for violations of legislation related to organic production and marketing.