Following import restrictions that have been in place since 2008, EU Member State experts' recently endorsed measures to lift import restrictions on sunflower oil from Ukraine.
A specific certification scheme was applied following the discovery that a number of consignments of sunflower oil from Ukraine were contaminated with mineral paraffin. Since tests carried out at EU borders have revealed no further contamination, the systematic testing regime has been gradually relaxed.
In 2009, the 100 per cent testing at import was replaced with a random sampling whilst maintaining the systematic testing before export from Ukraine.
The Standing Committee of EU Member States experts' agreed to measures lifting the testing regime which will apply 20 days following publication in the EU Official Journal.
