Serbia currently regulates agricultural inputs (including plant nutrition products and soil enhancers) under national fertilizer legislation.

The Serbian law is the Zakon o sredstvima za ishranu bilja i oplemenjivačima zemljišta (Official Gazette RS). ("Sl. glasnik RS", br. 41/2009 i 17/2019) (LAW ABOUT PLANT NUTRITION PRODUCTS AND SOIL IMPROVEMENTS).

It applies to products for plant nutrition and soil improvement and includes provisions about registration/entry in the official register, labeling, and phytosanitary control. The law provides precise definitions for terms such as fertilizers, soil improvers, mineral fertilizers, organic fertilizers, macronutrients, micronutrients, distributors, importers, and producers.

Serbian law is currently actually fully aligned with the former EU Regulation 2003/2003 for inorganic fertilisers and soil conditioners, but not with the new Regulation 2019/1009. Harmonization with EU law is actively harmonising its fertilizer legislation with EU rules, but it has not yet fully transposed the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (EU 2019/1009) into national law.

Actually, a legal gap assessment revealed differences between the existing Serbian framework and the new EU requirements, particularly as regards to the new conformity assessment approach. The fundamentally new approach means that not all provisions of Regulation 2019/1009 can be immediately transposed into Serbian law (source: [https://www.euzatebe.rs/en/news/harmonisation-with-new-eu-regulation-on-fertilising-products]). Serbia is working on this harmonisation specifically under Negotiation Chapter 1, which covers the free movement of foods, with support from the PLAC III project.

Biostimulants typically fall under the category of plant nutrition products/soil enhancers under the fertilizer law. To date, all plant nutrition products and soil improvers must be registered before being placed on the market, except for certain cases (e.g., products for export, scientific research, or demonstration trials).

Both domestic and imported products are subject to phytosanitary inspection and sampling. Only registered importers and distributors can import or trade these products. Official laboratories, accredited according to SRPS EN ISO/IEC 17025, conduct tests on product samples. Annual testing plans are defined by the Ministry. Existing registrations and authorizations remain valid for a limited period after the law enters into force, with a deadline for aligning business operations.

Producers, distributors, and importers must maintain records and regularly report to the Ministry. Administrative fees apply for registration, updates, and inspections.

The law prescribes significant fines and possible business bans for violations, such as trading unregistered products or failing to meet quality standards.

The competent authority for biostimulants and fertilisers is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management ( www.minpolj.gov.rs).

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