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Business met with the Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine

30/ 04/ 2021
  Yesterday, April 29, the European Business Association met with Roman Abramovsky, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. There was a discussion of regulatory issues in the field of industrial ecology, combating climate change, woodworking, and agrochemical industries which are currently extremely relevant for both business and the country. Regarding the regulation of ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases, the Ministry of Environment is currently preparing a draft Order on the minimum requirements for certification of specialists working with contact substances. At the same time, a quota system for the import of controlled substances will be introduced in Ukraine after it ratifies the Kigali amendment and develops the national plan on the reduction of these substances. The business was informed that the agreed text of the framework draft law on waste management №2207-1-d will be submitted to Parliament in late May. According to Mr. Abramovskys expectations, the draft law will be approved in mid-June this year, after which the Ministry will proceed with the development of sectoral draft laws on waste management, including packaging and mining. Besides, the Ministry reaffirmed its readiness to stimulate the use of industrial waste (metallurgical slag and ash-slag materials) as a substitute for depleted natural resources and is open to proposals for further development in this area. Regarding the registration of installations for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, it was reported that the relevant Order of the Ministry of Environment has already been published in the register of the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, companies can already submit their data for registration of installations in the Unified Register. The Ministry also confirmed that operators should calculate greenhouse gas emissions based on the methods provided by Law №377-IX. According to experts from the Ministry of Environment, the procedure for obtaining conclusions on the EIA does not need to be reduced in time. Instead, the environmental impact assessment procedure needs to be made more predictable. Thus, it is proposed to provide a possibility to amend the report at the discussion stage to reduce the time for processing such amendments. Besides, the Ministry of Environment will shortly consider the business proposals regarding the draft law on amendments to the EIA procedure and provide appropriate clarifications. Also, the consultations will be continued with businesses on this issue. The Ministry also takes a firm position on the implementation of the EIA on the territory of the Emerald Network. Mr. Abramovsky explained to the business that it is impossible to completely remove the need for an impact assessment on the territory of the Emerald Network (EIAEN), as it will be perceived as a direct failure of Ukraine to fulfill its obligations under the Berne Convention. Therefore, the Ministry tried to make the EIAEN procedure less burdensome for companies. According to the Minister, EIAEN is a simpler procedure that is carried out in a shorter time than EIA. In addition, companies that have already received all permits and passed the environmental impact assessment procedure are exempted from the need to conduct EIAEN. EBA representatives and the Ministry of Environment also agreed to continue discussions on the regulation of the timber market. The parties agreed that the relevant draft laws №4197 and №4197-1 need to be thoroughly revised. While supporting the concept of increased transparency in the timber market, the business considers it appropriate to provide a mechanism for selling timber on long-term annual contracts in parity with electronic auctions to ensure stability and guarantee the supply of raw materials for woodworking enterprises. At the same time, to prevent any abuse and corruption risks, it is advisable to provide that the volume of timber under such agreements depends on the history of consumption for previous periods. Thus, the price of timber under the terms of such agreements was formed on the principle of the weighted average price based on the results of previous auctions, and information on the parties to the agreements, volumes, and value was publicly available. At the same time, the woodworking divisions of state forestries should participate in the process of purchasing wood on equal terms with all woodworking companies, and effective measures of responsibility for violating tender rules should be established for both buyers and sellers of state forestries. In early April, the Ministry of Environment resumed the issuance of permits required for research institutions to conduct state testing of pesticides and agrochemicals. According to Mr. Abramovsky, the relevant Order has already been signed, so soon the institutions will be authorized to import PPPs samples for state testing and research. The European Business Association thanks the Minister and his deputies Bohdan Borukhovsky, Iryna Stavchuk, Roman Shakhmatenko, Oleksandr Krasnolutsky, Ruslan Strelts, and Mykhailo Khorev for their openness to cooperation for the prompt resolution of issues important to business and the community.   Be the first to learn about the latest EBA news with our Telegram channel – EBAUkraine.    

Yesterday, April 29, the European Business Association met with Roman Abramovsky, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. There was a discussion of regulatory issues in the field of industrial ecology, combating climate change, woodworking, and agrochemical industries which are currently extremely relevant for both business and the country.

Regarding the regulation of ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases, the Ministry of Environment is currently preparing a draft Order on the minimum requirements for certification of specialists working with contact substances. At the same time, a quota system for the import of controlled substances will be introduced in Ukraine after it ratifies the Kigali amendment and develops the national plan on the reduction of these substances.

The business was informed that the agreed text of the framework draft law on waste management №2207-1-d will be submitted to Parliament in late May. According to Mr. Abramovsky’s expectations, the draft law will be approved in mid-June this year, after which the Ministry will proceed with the development of sectoral draft laws on waste management, including packaging and mining.

Besides, the Ministry reaffirmed its readiness to stimulate the use of industrial waste (metallurgical slag and ash-slag materials) as a substitute for depleted natural resources and is open to proposals for further development in this area.

Regarding the registration of installations for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, it was reported that the relevant Order of the Ministry of Environment has already been published in the register of the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, companies can already submit their data for registration of installations in the Unified Register. The Ministry also confirmed that operators should calculate greenhouse gas emissions based on the methods provided by Law №377-IX.

According to experts from the Ministry of Environment, the procedure for obtaining conclusions on the EIA does not need to be reduced in time. Instead, the environmental impact assessment procedure needs to be made more predictable. Thus, it is proposed to provide a possibility to amend the report at the discussion stage to reduce the time for processing such amendments. Besides, the Ministry of Environment will shortly consider the business proposals regarding the draft law on amendments to the EIA procedure and provide appropriate clarifications. Also, the consultations will be continued with businesses on this issue.

The Ministry also takes a firm position on the implementation of the EIA on the territory of the Emerald Network. Mr. Abramovsky explained to the business that it is impossible to completely remove the need for an impact assessment on the territory of the Emerald Network (EIAEN), as it will be perceived as a direct failure of Ukraine to fulfill its obligations under the Berne Convention. Therefore, the Ministry tried to make the EIAEN procedure less burdensome for companies. According to the Minister, EIAEN is a simpler procedure that is carried out in a shorter time than EIA. In addition, companies that have already received all permits and passed the environmental impact assessment procedure are exempted from the need to conduct EIAEN.

EBA representatives and the Ministry of Environment also agreed to continue discussions on the regulation of the timber market. The parties agreed that the relevant draft laws №4197 and №4197-1 need to be thoroughly revised. While supporting the concept of increased transparency in the timber market, the business considers it appropriate to provide a mechanism for selling timber on long-term annual contracts in parity with electronic auctions to ensure stability and guarantee the supply of raw materials for woodworking enterprises. At the same time, to prevent any abuse and corruption risks, it is advisable to provide that the volume of timber under such agreements depends on the history of consumption for previous periods. Thus, the price of timber under the terms of such agreements was formed on the principle of the weighted average price based on the results of previous auctions, and information on the parties to the agreements, volumes, and value was publicly available. At the same time, the woodworking divisions of state forestries should participate in the process of purchasing wood on equal terms with all woodworking companies, and effective measures of responsibility for violating tender rules should be established for both buyers and sellers of state forestries.

In early April, the Ministry of Environment resumed the issuance of permits required for research institutions to conduct state testing of pesticides and agrochemicals. According to Mr. Abramovsky, the relevant Order has already been signed, so soon the institutions will be authorized to import PPPs samples for state testing and research.

The European Business Association thanks the Minister and his deputies Bohdan Borukhovsky, Iryna Stavchuk, Roman Shakhmatenko, Oleksandr Krasnolutsky, Ruslan Strelts, and Mykhailo Khorev for their openness to cooperation for the prompt resolution of issues important to business and the community.

 

Be the first to learn about the latest EBA news with our Telegram channel – EBAUkraine.

 

 

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