Business suggests to revise some rules regarding the hard lockdown

04/ 01/ 2021

Listen to online Stop   From January 8 to 25, Ukraine is going to introduce another hard lockdown. The European Business Association has always supported the government in its consistent struggle to prevent the spread of acute respiratory illness COVID-19 in Ukraine. At the same time, in the context of the adoption of the CMU resolution №1236 “On quarantine and introduction of restrictive anti-epidemic measures to prevent the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 of December 9, 2020, we want to draw attention to the need to regulate certain rules on behalf of the business community. First of all, we would like to thank the CMU for taking into account a number of proposals of business representatives in Resolution №1236 regarding the introduction of restrictive anti-epidemic measures: 1. providing food establishments with the possibility of carrying out takeaway orders, as due to the ban on this type of activity in the spring, businesses incurred additional costs for couriers. 2. providing shopping and entertainment centers in the establishments specified in subparagraph 4 of paragraph 3 of Resolution №1236 with the possibility to receive visitors. At the same time, some rules need to be revised. Thus, it is necessary to: permit the operation of drogerie stores, and allow non-food stores to create order points in the store. Such a measure will enable the buyer to choose address delivery to the store, and not involve a courier service when ordering goods online. Also, it will somewhat relieve the work of post offices and reduce the concentration of people in places of delivery of goods. In addition, some consumers do not want to have additional contact with couriers in case of address delivery or stand in line at post offices. allow the sale of non-food products if the consumer has already got to the retail store. To date, everyday goods, placed within the same retail space and the need for which is daily, are prohibited for sale. At the same time, online stores will have an advantage in terms of making a profit. allow the maintenance and repair services not only of vehicles, but also the repair of technically complex household goods, household products, and personal items. The importance of this clarification is even greater in the context of restrictions on the sale of household appliances in the retail stores. In addition, it should be noted that the implementation of such activities does not involve crowding and excludes their prolonged stay indoors. This makes it possible to ensure proper compliance with anti-epidemic requirements by both businesses and control over compliance with such requirements by service consumers. allow the sale, rent, or leasing of vehicles during stricter quarantine restrictions. not to restrict the procurement of secondary raw materials, which is necessary to ensure continuous production, as well as to continue the work of reception points of secondary raw materials, as they provide factories with reusable packaging for recycling. provide a ban on businesses to serve customers without wearing PPE, namely, respirators or protective masks, because currently there is no direct ban. consider the possibility of taking into account proposals to support the activities of large exhibition centers. Such businesses have a significant tax burden on land tax, while in the period of long-term quarantine measures are deprived of the opportunity to conduct economic activities. Therefore, it is necessary to allow mass events in the premises of exhibition centers in compliance with sanitary norms of no more than one person per 15 square meters of building area. Allow the operation of hotels, hostels with which long-term accommodation agreements have been concluded on the provision of accommodation services for employees who ensure the livelihood of the population and the functioning of activities that are allowed during the quarantine. We hope the voice of business will be heard! 

From January 8 to 25, Ukraine is going to introduce another hard lockdown. The European Business Association has always supported the government in its consistent struggle to prevent the spread of acute respiratory illness COVID-19 in Ukraine. At the same time, in the context of the adoption of the CMU resolution №1236 “On quarantine and introduction of restrictive anti-epidemic measures to prevent the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2″ of December 9, 2020, we want to draw attention to the need to regulate certain rules on behalf of the business community.

First of all, we would like to thank the CMU for taking into account a number of proposals of business representatives in Resolution №1236 regarding the introduction of restrictive anti-epidemic measures:

1. providing food establishments with the possibility of carrying out takeaway orders, as due to the ban on this type of activity in the spring, businesses incurred additional costs for couriers.

2. providing shopping and entertainment centers in the establishments specified in subparagraph 4 of paragraph 3 of Resolution №1236 with the possibility to receive visitors.

At the same time, some rules need to be revised. Thus, it is necessary to:

1. permit the operation of drogerie stores, and allow non-food stores to create order points in the store. Such a measure will enable the buyer to choose address delivery to the store, and not involve a courier service when ordering goods online. Also, it will somewhat relieve the work of post offices and reduce the concentration of people in places of delivery of goods. In addition, some consumers do not want to have additional contact with couriers in case of address delivery or stand in line at post offices.
2. allow the sale of non-food products if the consumer has already got to the retail store. To date, everyday goods, placed within the same retail space and the need for which is daily, are prohibited for sale. At the same time, online stores will have an advantage in terms of making a profit.
3. allow the maintenance and repair services not only of vehicles, but also the repair of technically complex household goods, household products, and personal items. The importance of this clarification is even greater in the context of restrictions on the sale of household appliances in the retail stores. In addition, it should be noted that the implementation of such activities does not involve crowding and excludes their prolonged stay indoors. This makes it possible to ensure proper compliance with anti-epidemic requirements by both businesses and control over compliance with such requirements by service consumers.
4. allow the sale, rent, or leasing of vehicles during stricter quarantine restrictions.
5. not to restrict the procurement of secondary raw materials, which is necessary to ensure continuous production, as well as to continue the work of reception points of secondary raw materials, as they provide factories with reusable packaging for recycling.
6. provide a ban on businesses to serve customers without wearing PPE, namely, respirators or protective masks, because currently there is no direct ban.
7. consider the possibility of taking into account proposals to support the activities of large exhibition centers. Such businesses have a significant tax burden on land tax, while in the period of long-term quarantine measures are deprived of the opportunity to conduct economic activities. Therefore, it is necessary to allow mass events in the premises of exhibition centers in compliance with sanitary norms of no more than one person per 15 square meters of building area.
8. Allow the operation of hotels, hostels with which long-term accommodation agreements have been concluded on the provision of accommodation services for employees who ensure the livelihood of the population and the functioning of activities that are allowed during the quarantine.

We hope the voice of business will be heard!