The Standards and Quality team works daily at the intersection of Ukrainian and European requirements and sees how these changes affect real business. This article provides a structured overview of what has already been done, what is happening right now, and what to prepare for in the coming years.
What has already been implemented: the foundation of the system
The Basic Law on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment, adopted in 2015, laid the foundation for the new system. It defined the concept of technical regulations, established market surveillance rules, and enshrined the principle of manufacturer responsibility for product safety—a key element of the European approach that differs radically from the Soviet model, where responsibility lay with the state.
Based on this law, Ukraine has adopted more than twenty technical regulations harmonized with EU directives. Among the most important for industry are regulations on low-voltage equipment (harmonized with Directive 2014/35/EU), machinery and mechanisms (Directive 2006/42/EC), and electromagnetic compatibility (Directive 2014/30/EU). These three regulations cover the lion’s share of industrial and consumer products manufactured or imported into Ukraine.
At the same time, large-scale work is underway on national standardization. The State Enterprise “UkrNDNC” is consistently adopting harmonized standards of the DSTU EN series, which replace outdated GOSTs and interstate standards. By the end of 2025, more than six thousand DSTU EN standards had been adopted, which means that national equivalents of European standards already exist for most categories of industrial products.
What is happening now: key processes for 2025–2026
The current stage can be described as a transition from the adoption of regulations to their actual implementation. Formally, technical regulations are in force, but in practice, a significant part of the business still operates under the old rules, taking advantage of transition periods. In 2026, these periods will end for many product categories.
Cancellation of outdated standards. GOST and DSTU standards that contradict the adopted DSTU EN standards are being gradually cancelled. For manufacturers, this means that they must transition to the new standards when developing technical specifications, conducting tests, and preparing documentation. Product certification according to the cancelled standard will become impossible after the transition period ends.
Development of conformity assessment infrastructure. Ukraine is increasing the number of conformity assessment bodies and testing laboratories capable of operating in accordance with European standards. Negotiations are underway to recognize Ukrainian bodies as notified bodies under the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance (ACAA), which will allow Ukrainian certificates to be accepted in the EU without re-evaluation.
Implementation of management systems. European directives for many product categories require a certified quality management system. The development of management systems in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards is becoming not a competitive advantage, but a basic condition for access to both domestic and European markets. Notified bodies increasingly assess not only products but also the maturity of production processes during audits.
ACAA Agreement: What It Will Change for Business
The Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA) is a mechanism that will allow Ukraine to recognize the compliance of products with EU requirements even before joining the European Union. In essence, after the conclusion of the ACAA, products with Ukrainian certification will be able to circulate freely on the EU market without additional assessment for certain sectors.
For businesses, this means a huge reduction in costs and time required to enter the European market. Instead of preparing separate documents for the Ukrainian and European markets, manufacturers will undergo a single procedure. The presence of CE marking obtained through a recognized Ukrainian authority will be sufficient grounds for the free movement of products in the EU. This fundamentally changes the economics of exports: double testing, double certification, and the need to maintain an authorized representative in an EU member state for each product category disappear.
However, the ACAA is being introduced in stages, sector by sector. The first candidates are the low-voltage equipment, electromagnetic compatibility, and machinery and equipment sectors, precisely because they already have the most developed regulatory framework and conformity assessment infrastructure.
What lies ahead: forecast for 2027–2030
The next stage of harmonization will affect more complex sectors: medical devices, construction materials, personal protective equipment, radio equipment, and pressure equipment. Each of these sectors requires not only the adoption of relevant technical regulations (most of which have already been adopted), but also the creation of a comprehensive infrastructure: accredited laboratories, notified bodies, and trained specialists.
A separate area is the digitization of the technical regulation system. The EU is gradually transitioning to electronic declarations of conformity, digital product passports, and unified registries. Ukraine plans to introduce similar tools, which will require manufacturers to adapt not only their documentation but also their IT infrastructure. We can also expect stricter requirements for eco-design and energy efficiency—Europe is moving very dynamically in this direction, and Ukraine will follow suit.
Practical steps: what businesses should do right now
Step 1. Determine which technical regulations apply to your products. Check whether harmonized regulations for your category have been adopted in Ukraine and find out the end date of the transition period. If the transition period ends in 2026, immediate action is required.
Step 2. Check the relevance of standards. If your documentation refers to GOSTs or old DSTUs, find out whether they have been replaced by DSTU EN. Update technical specifications, test reports, and declarations of conformity to reflect the new standards.
Step 3. Assess your readiness for CE marking. Even if you are currently only operating in the domestic market, preparing for CE certification now is a strategic investment. Once the ACAA is concluded, manufacturers who have brought their documentation into line with European requirements in advance will be able to enter the EU market much faster than their competitors.
Step 4. Implement a management system. If you do not yet have a certified quality management system, start developing one now. This is the foundation without which passing European assessment procedures will be much more difficult and expensive. For manufacturers operating in sectors with increased requirements, a quality system will be a prerequisite for obtaining certification.
Step 5. Compile a technical file. The European approach requires the creation of a complete technical file for each product or group of products: description, drawings, risk analysis, test results, instructions. For manufacturers of machines and mechanisms, the technical file additionally includes design calculations, a list of applicable standards, and a detailed risk assessment. Start compiling these files now, even if you are only preparing Ukrainian documents at the moment — then you will only have to supplement them, rather than create them from scratch.
Standards and Quality supports manufacturers at each of these stages: from auditing existing documentation and determining applicable regulations to certifying products according to European requirements and preparing technical files for CE marking. We know the nuances of each directive and have established contacts with notified bodies and accredited laboratories. The transition to European standards is a process that requires planning, and the sooner you start, the less risk there is of your business coming to a halt in the final stretch.
