Protocol for coordination between USPA and State ecological inspection was published

29/ 07/ 2019

On July 26, the Government published the Order of interaction between the Administration of Seaports of Ukraine and the State Inspectorate in case of detection of pollutants discharged by vessels within seaport areas. For almost a year, experts from the EBA Logistics Committee have worked together with the SRS, MIU, MEDTU, USPA, Maritime Administration and other relevant bodies to develop this document. It was adopted on July 17 at a Government meeting and eventually published. It should be reminded that the Order establishes a clear framework of actions of the USPA, the State Inspectorate and the Maritime Administration regarding environmental inspections of ships in ports - it allows to clearly delineate the scope of responsibility of each participant of the process and establishes a clear responsibilities of each. Business hopes that this will prevent environmental inspectors from carrying out unreasonable inspections of vessels in cases where the pollution of the water area has been determined at its own discretion. After all, according to the law, only after laboratory confirmation of the fact of contamination and if there is evidence that such contamination has occurred from the vessel - do representatives of the Eco-Inspection and the Maritime Administration have the right to come onboard the vessel for the purpose of sampling. The European Business Association thanks everyone involved in the process of developing and adopting the document. At the same time, the regulation of environmental checks at seaports still needs to be changed. Currently, business community experts are working on the Water Sampling and Analysis Procedure, which business hopes will be reviewed by the Government this year as well. On July 19, the SRS appealed to the First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv with a request to submit an assignment to the Ministry of Infrastructure jointly with the SRS, Ministry of Environment, USPA, European Business Association, relevant public organizations and other interested entities to work out the draft Resolution proposed by the Interagency Working Group and submit it to the Government in the prescribed manner.

For almost a year, experts from the EBA Logistics Committee have worked together with the SRS, MIU, MEDTU, USPA, Maritime Administration and other relevant bodies to develop this document. It was adopted on July 17 at a Government meeting and eventually published.

It should be reminded that the Order establishes a clear framework of actions of the USPA, the State Inspectorate and the Maritime Administration regarding environmental inspections of ships in ports – it allows to clearly delineate the scope of responsibility of each participant of the process and establishes a clear responsibilities of each.

Business hopes that this will prevent environmental inspectors from carrying out unreasonable inspections of vessels in cases where the pollution of the water area has been determined at its own discretion. After all, according to the law, only after laboratory confirmation of the fact of contamination and if there is evidence that such contamination has occurred from the vessel – do representatives of the Eco-Inspection and the Maritime Administration have the right to come onboard the vessel for the purpose of sampling.

The European Business Association thanks everyone involved in the process of developing and adopting the document.

At the same time, the regulation of environmental checks at seaports still needs to be changed. Currently, business community experts are working on the Water Sampling and Analysis Procedure, which business hopes will be reviewed by the Government this year as well.

On July 19, the SRS appealed to the First Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv with a request to submit an assignment to the Ministry of Infrastructure jointly with the SRS, Ministry of Environment, USPA, European Business Association, relevant public organizations and other interested entities to work out the draft Resolution proposed by the Interagency Working Group and submit it to the Government in the prescribed manner.