On the Repeal of National Standards (Part 1)

1. On 30 October 2024, the European Commission—the highest executive authority of the European Union (EU)—presented a Report within the framework of the EU Enlargement Package 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the Report). The Report contains assessments of the progress achieved by all candidate and potential candidate countries for EU membership, including an assessment of Ukraine’s annual progress in reforms and transformations on its path toward EU accession across all negotiation chapters.

The full text of the Report, comprising 103 pages and published in English, is available at the following link: https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/1924a044-b30f-48a2-99c1-50edeac14da1_en?filename=Ukraine%20Report%202024.pdf.

On page 64 of the above-mentioned Report, in Section 1 “Free Movement of Goods” (Chapter 1 “Free movement of goods”) of Cluster 2 “Internal Market,” the following is stated:

“National standards in Ukraine are adopted in conformity with the European Harmonised standards, but Ukraine still has old conflicting standards that urgently need to be withdrawn.”

2. On 28 March 2025, by Resolution No. 300-r, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission presented in the Report on Ukraine’s progress within the EU Enlargement Package 2024. Clause 79 of this plan provides for the following measure:
   “Urgently repeal obsolete national standards that conflict with European harmonised standards,” with a deadline for implementation set for August 2025.

Thus, until practically September 2025, the specific list of national standards subject to repeal was not known.

3. On 29 August 2025, in implementation of Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 28 March 2025 No. 300-r “On Approval of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Recommendations of the European Commission Presented in the Report on Ukraine’s Progress within the EU Enlargement Package 2024,” the State Enterprise “Ukrainian Research and Training Center for Standardization, Certification and Quality” (SE “UkrNDNC”), acting as the national standardization body, by Orders Nos. 163–272 and 308, repealed as of 1 January 2026 a total of 3,267 national standards relating to technical specifications (general technical conditions), testing methods, determination methods, safety requirements, verification methods and means, and other areas.

By Order of SE “UkrNDNC” dated 12 September 2025 No. 318, a further 35 national standards were repealed as of 1 January 2026.

In addition, by Orders of SE “UkrNDNC” dated 29 August 2025 Nos. 275–307 and dated 4 November 2025 No. 371, another 673 national standards are to be repealed as of 1 January 2027.

And this may not be the end of the process.

What will happen next, given that the manufacture of any product without an applicable regulatory or technical document is prohibited?

To be continued.

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