FEATURES OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL IMPORT REGULATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

In the context of a full-scale war, Ukraine's need for imports of food and certain categories of goods for agricultural production is growing. Domestic enterprises cannot fully satisfy the current needs of Ukrainian consumers, which is why this is compensated by imports of goods of agricultural origin and destination. Therefore, it is important to ensure effective regulation of imports of food and agricultural goods. The purpose of the article is to analyse the current state and problematic aspects of regulation of imports of food and agricultural products in Ukraine. The study is based on the analysis of relevant scientific works by domestic scholars, regulations and analytical studies. First of all, the features of imports of food and agricultural products are analysed. The structure of food imports to Ukraine is analysed and it is found that the main categories of goods are those that are almost not produced in Ukraine. The role of food imports increases during a full-scale war due to the inability of domestic enterprises to fully meet the needs of consumers. The article analyses the structure of imports of goods for agricultural production and identifies their main categories. It is established that the main regulatory legal act determining the regulation of imports of these categories of goods to Ukraine is the Law of Ukraine ‘On State Regulation of Imports of Agricultural Products’. The author analyses the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which defines the main provisions of licensing of imported goods in Ukraine of certain categories. It is determined that the main mechanisms for regulating the import of food and goods for agricultural production are licensing, certification and customs clearance. It is emphasised that the existing mechanisms and regulatory framework are insufficient and need to be improved, given the growing demand for imports of these categories of goods to Ukraine. The results show that improving the existing mechanisms for regulating the import of goods in these categories opens up opportunities for more effective satisfaction of current consumer needs. In particular, adapting existing approaches to current challenges and conditions will ensure a stable supply of necessary products to the market. This will not only help to reduce the deficit, but also create the preconditions for a more balanced and flexible approach to managing import flows. Thus, improving regulatory instruments is an important step to ensure that supply and demand are matched, which is a key factor in meeting the needs of the end consumer.