Business raise concern about irregularities during consideration of important draft laws for the fuel and energy sector

17/ 10/ 2019

Yesterday, on the 16th October, was a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Housing and Communal Services. During this meeting, while considering important draft laws for the industry, a number of serious violations were taking place. Based on the information on the official web-portal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the member companies of the European Business Association can state the following things: A number of draft laws were not registered in the Verkhovna Rada before the Committee meeting but were included in the Committees agenda. A number of draft laws that are under consideration of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and weren’t sent to the Committee have been included in the agenda of the Committee. Some draft laws were submitted to the Committee before the deadline of submitting alternative documents. The draft laws proposed for consideration by the Committee do not have required conclusions from the other VR Committees. Therefore, business community expresses its deep concern about the significant violations in terms of familiarizing deputies and business representatives with legislative initiatives, as well as the lack of opportunity to comment and give proposes to legislative initiatives, though, previously, principles of openness and transparency were declared. The European Business Association once again emphasizes that in a civilized democratic country, the law must be one and the same for all. Therefore, the business community appeals to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Committee on Energyб Housing and Communal Services with a request to avoid such violations and asks about the proper participation of business community representatives in legislative initiatives discussions.

Yesterday, on the 16^th October, was a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Housing and Communal Services. During this meeting, while considering important draft laws for the industry, a number of serious violations were taking place.

Based on the information on the official web-portal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the member companies of the European Business Association can state the following things:

A number of draft laws were not registered in the Verkhovna Rada before the Committee meeting but were included in the Committee’s agenda.
A number of draft laws that are under consideration of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and weren’t sent to the Committee have been included in the agenda of the Committee.
Some draft laws were submitted to the Committee before the deadline of submitting alternative documents.
The draft laws proposed for consideration by the Committee do not have required conclusions from the other VR Committees.

Therefore, business community expresses its deep concern about the significant violations in terms of familiarizing deputies and business representatives with legislative initiatives, as well as the lack of opportunity to comment and give proposes to legislative initiatives, though, previously, principles of openness and transparency were declared.

The European Business Association once again emphasizes that in a civilized democratic country, the law must be one and the same for all. Therefore, the business community appeals to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Committee on Energyб Housing and Communal Services with a request to avoid such violations and asks about the proper participation of business community representatives in legislative initiatives discussions.