Legislative initiatives in the field of pest control in Ukraine

Problem setting. The pace of global trade growth, advancements in innovative technologies, and changes in consumer preferences pose new challenges to contemporary society in ensuring the quality and safety of food products. Analysis of recent researches and publications. The following Ukrainian scholars were interested in ensuring the safety of food products: D. Bernytska, V. Bozhkova, I. Dukhnovsky, A. Luzhetskyi, Y. Myroshnichenko, L. Nosonova, T. Podbereznyak, O Rybak, D. Saulyak, O. Tur, O. Shapurova. Purpose of the research is analysis the current legislation of Ukraine in the field of pest control to ensure the lawful use of pesticides, compliance with ecological balance, and identification of factors affecting the quality of products and the health of consumers. Article’s main body. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of legislative initiatives in the field of pest control in Ukraine. The author meticulously examines aspects of licensing and establishing requirements for pest control services. The definition of the term «pest control» is disclosed, emphasizing its essence as a system of organizational measures aimed at ensuring consumers with quality and safe food resources. Special attention is given to the implementation of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system to ensure the safety of food resources in Ukraine. Key provisions of legislation focused on ensuring safety and control over pests are highlighted. The article sheds light on key aspects of state regulation of pest control, identifies gaps in legislation, and provides authorial suggestions for their elimination. Additionally, the essence of the HACCP system is elucidated, exploring its legislative aspects related to licensing and setting requirements in the field of pest control. Important aspects of improving legislation and practical aspects of the HACCP system to ensure the safety of food products are discussed. From a legal perspective, HACCP is defined as a system for analyzing hazards and critical control points, overseeing the safety of food products at all stages of production and distribution, with a particular focus on critical control points where risky situations may arise. Conclusions and prospects for the development. The research results lead to the conclusion that pest control is a system of organizational measures aimed at achieving the goal of reducing the number of problematic biological species (pests) to their complete elimination in a specific area, with the aim of reducing all possible risks, such as moral, economic loss, harm to human health, domestic animals, cultivated plants, wild flora, etc. The study establishes the need for harmonizing existing legislation to ensure effective pest control management in Ukraine under the specified conditions.