The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has posted a draft Emergency Ordinance in its decision transparency, establishing the legal framework for imports of agricultural products from Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova. Specifically, it introduces a mechanism for authorizing Romanian economic operators to allow the import of four products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, and rapeseed.

According to the draft legislation, only Romanian economic operators engaged in the following economic sectors can be authorized for import operations of agricultural products from Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova:

1. 1041 - Manufacture of oils and fats;
2. 1061 - Manufacture of grain mill products;
3. 1091 - Manufacture of prepared animal feeds;
4. 014 - Raising of other animals.

The agricultural products that can be subject to import under the proposed legislation are as follows:

1. 1001 - Wheat;
2. 1005 - Maize;
3. 1205 - Rape or colza seeds, whether or not broken;
4. 1206 - Sunflower seeds, whether or not broken.

According to the draft, the authorization procedure includes the following steps:

1. Economic operators with registered offices and points of operation in Romania intending to import agricultural products of Ukrainian or Moldovan origin must request the issuance of an import authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR). They should provide a document indicating the need to replenish stocks and other necessary documents as outlined in the project.
2. MADR, based on a report from an authorization committee, issues the import authorization after validation by Romanian authorities of the information provided by operators seeking authorization.

The authorization committee is composed of the following representatives:

a) A representative of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration; b) A representative of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority; c) A representative of the Romanian Customs Authority; d) A representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; e) A representative of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism; f) Two representatives of representative associations in the production/processing and livestock sectors.

1. Economic operators must provide a product conformity certificate issued by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, demonstrating compliance with sanitary veterinary and food safety standards.
2. MADR issues the import authorization through the authorization committee.
3. Based on the import authorization issued by MADR, Romanian economic operators enter into an import contract with a licensed economic operator from Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova for the required quantity of the product. Import operations are conducted under the supervision of Romanian customs authorities.
4. Before entering the processing or marketing process, the products are verified by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority to validate compliance with the quality standards outlined in the initial conformity certificate.

You can consult the draft Emergency Ordinance here: Link to MADR website.