The State Plant Service (VATŽŪM) is a competent authority under the Ministry of Agriculture. The VATŽŪM implements the strategic goal of the Ministry of Agriculture – to enhance public health and consumer protection with regard to food safety and quality, to ensure plant and animal health controls. The VATŽŪM is responsible for the implementation and the control of the safe application of plant protection products and phytosanitary (plant health) measures.

The VATŽŪM is responsible for the assessment of active substances at the EU level and the national authorisation of plant protection products and for post-registration control (import, storage, sale, labelling, package and use of plant protection products). The VATŽŪM also controls the cultivation of GM plant crops and the use of propagating materials (including GMOs). In these areas, the VATŽŪM monitors and coordinates the tasks of the 10 regional divisions and 5 border checkpoints with 13 functioning phytosanitary posts (divisions).