Another step towards an “industrial visa-free regime”: Parliament adopts the necessary draft laws

09/ 04/ 2026

Listen to online Stop   The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted in the second reading two draft laws — No. 12426 and No. 12221 — the adoption of which constituted the final EU-side prerequisites for launching negotiations on concluding the ACAA Agreement (“industrial visa-free regime”) on the mutual recognition of conformity marking and assessment procedures. Draft Law No. 12426 aligns the market surveillance system with EU requirements and implements the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. In particular, it expands oversight of products sold online, clarifies the powers of supervisory authorities, and strengthens cooperation with customs authorities. At the same time, Draft Law No. 12221 updates approaches to technical regulation and accreditation, bringing Ukraine’s system closer to the European one and laying the groundwork for the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results. The ACAA Agreement is one of the key instruments for Ukraine’s integration into the EU internal market. It provides for the mutual recognition of conformity certificates, which, on the one hand, will allow Ukrainian manufacturers to supply products to the EU market without repeated certification and additional marking, and, on the other, will grant similar access rights to importers entering the Ukrainian market. In practical terms, this means a significant reduction of technical barriers to trade in industrial goods, opening up new opportunities for exports and imports, lowering business costs, and enhancing the competitiveness of Ukrainian products. The signing of the Agreement will also mean that the European side recognises Ukraine’s system of technical regulation, market surveillance, and conformity assessment as equivalent to its own — an important step towards deeper economic integration and de facto access for Ukrainian producers to the EU internal market. The European Business Association has repeatedly emphasised that the conclusion of the ACAA will enable businesses to carry out exports and imports of industrial goods without additional conformity assessment procedures and marking, significantly simplifying the movement of goods and stimulating trade development. The adoption of these legislative changes completes the formation of the necessary regulatory framework and paves the way for the practical launch of negotiations on the “industrial visa-free regime”. The Association therefore expects the negotiations with the EU on signing the ACAA Agreement to begin as soon as possible, as well as its gradual extension to new sectors, including radio equipment, medical devices, ecodesign, and others.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted in the second reading two draft laws — No. 12426 and No. 12221 — the adoption of which constituted the final EU-side prerequisites for launching negotiations on concluding the ACAA Agreement (“industrial visa-free regime”) on the mutual recognition of conformity marking and assessment procedures.

Draft Law No. 12426 aligns the market surveillance system with EU requirements and implements the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. In particular, it expands oversight of products sold online, clarifies the powers of supervisory authorities, and strengthens cooperation with customs authorities. At the same time, Draft Law No. 12221 updates approaches to technical regulation and accreditation, bringing Ukraine’s system closer to the European one and laying the groundwork for the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results.

The ACAA Agreement is one of the key instruments for Ukraine’s integration into the EU internal market. It provides for the mutual recognition of conformity certificates, which, on the one hand, will allow Ukrainian manufacturers to supply products to the EU market without repeated certification and additional marking, and, on the other, will grant similar access rights to importers entering the Ukrainian market.

In practical terms, this means a significant reduction of technical barriers to trade in industrial goods, opening up new opportunities for exports and imports, lowering business costs, and enhancing the competitiveness of Ukrainian products.

The signing of the Agreement will also mean that the European side recognises Ukraine’s system of technical regulation, market surveillance, and conformity assessment as equivalent to its own — an important step towards deeper economic integration and de facto access for Ukrainian producers to the EU internal market.

The European Business Association has repeatedly emphasised that the conclusion of the ACAA will enable businesses to carry out exports and imports of industrial goods without additional conformity assessment procedures and marking, significantly simplifying the movement of goods and stimulating trade development. The adoption of these legislative changes completes the formation of the necessary regulatory framework and paves the way for the practical launch of negotiations on the “industrial visa-free regime”.

The Association therefore expects the negotiations with the EU on signing the ACAA Agreement to begin as soon as possible, as well as its gradual extension to new sectors, including radio equipment, medical devices, ecodesign, and others.