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Serbia’s 2009 “Law on Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs)” prohibits the importation and commercial production of genetically engineered crops. While Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management has prepared a more forward-leaning “Law on GEOs” amendment in 2018, the current Serbian government has not considered adoption of this revision.

Poland opposes the use of genetic engineering in agriculture. Although the current regulatory framework technically allows genetically engineered (GE) seeds to enter commerce, the law stipulates they cannot be planted.

According to USCB, U.S. suppliers shipped $376 million of U.S. food and agriculture to Poland in 2023. However, according to Poland’s Central Statistical Office (CSO), which measures trade by country of origin and, therefore, reflects both direct and indirect trade, Poland sourced upwards of $740 million of U.S. food and agriculture in 2023.

The Parliament of Poland extended until January 1, 2030, exemptions of provisions under the 2006 Feed Act to ban the use of genetically engineered (GE) feed ingredients. Poland is a major import of soybean meal, including GE meal, with imports reaching $1.5 billion each year.

Poland is Central and Eastern Europe’s largest market for food and beverage products. With a population of 38 million people, Poland is a growing market for U.S. food and agricultural products.

Serbia’s Marketing Year (MY) 2024/25 wheat area is forecast at 625,000 hectares (HA), 14 percent lower than the previous year. If the predicted yield of 5 MT/HA is achieved, wheat production is expected to reach 3.1 Million Metric Tons (MMT).

Serbia offers good opportunities for the U.S. exporters of consumer-oriented agriculture products. From January-October 2023, total U.S. exports of agriculture products to Serbia reached $22.6 million, an increase of about 16 percent compared to the same period in 2022.

Poland is Central and Eastern Europe’s largest market for food and beverage products. With a population of nearly 38 million people, Poland is a large and growing market for U.S. food and agricultural products.

On January 1, 2024, new regulations will come into force in Poland, prohibiting the sale of energy drinks to people under 18 years of age. The regulations also prohibit the sale of these drinks at schools and other educational units, as well as in vending machines.

Poland applies European Union (EU) regulatory requirements for all food of animal or plant origin. Although the EU has harmonized export certificate requirements for most products, Poland maintains national-level oversight for products still not harmonized under the EU.

Poland is a European Union (EU) Member State and applies all EU regulations pertaining to imports of food and feed products. U.S. food and feed suppliers to Poland should verify with local importers and appropriate U.S. regulatory agencies regarding the most current local requirements prior to shipment.

This report provides a guide to the certificate requirements for agricultural and food products intended for export to Serbia.