There are //// bodies in focus of our committee scan today:
Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management
The committee chairman O. Bondarenko discussed topical issues of forest industry development with German experts.
On September 30, the Chairman of the Committee and Chairman of the Sub-committee on Protection and Wise Use of Mineral and Water Resources Zinovii Andriiovych met with the Project Manager of the “German-Ukrainian Agro-Political Dialogue” (APD) Volker Sasse and Attache on Agrarian Affairs of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Hermann Intemann.
The meeting discussed conservation, use, reproduction, inventory of forests, reshaping the forest industry, as well as a temporary ban on exporting unprocessed timber and other issues.
Volker Sasse observed there are three main problems in conducting a national inventory of forests in Ukraine: lack of sufficient budget funding; poor cooperation between central executive authorities; and numerous legal loopholes on the issue.
Herrman Intemann emphasized that the national forest inventory is necessary not only for obtaining statistically-substantiated information on quantitative and qualitative indicators of the state and dynamics of national forests, but also for strategic planning of forestry management, environmental monitoring and international forest reporting.
Representatives of the APD project stated that they are ready to provide expert support to decision-making processes in the forest sector, to share experiences and visions on the essence of the reform, and to technically and financially contribute to the national forest inventory.
The chairman stated the committee is prepared to consider the draft law on national forest inventory as soon as it is submitted to the Verkhovna Rada.
The committee is also open to cooperation with representatives of the “German-Ukrainian Agro-Political Dialogue” on strategic issues of forestry development and reforming Ukraine’s forest sector in order to preserve and increase productivity, reproduction, protection and conservation of forests, as well as to improve the forestry culture.
Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence
The committee held a meeting of the joint inter-factional working group in charge of drafting a law on reforming the SBU (the Security Service of Ukraine).
The meeting was chaired by Davyd Arakhamiia, Chairman of the Sub-committee on Surveillance over State Special Agencies with Law Enforcement Functions, Law Enforcement Authorities, Special Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies.
During the meeting, representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine delivered their interpretation of the prospect for reshaping the service. In the course of the discussion, participants laid out their vision and proposals on the concept of reforming the Security Service of Ukraine and asserted that they have reached the next stage in preparing the draft law on transformation of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence
On October 1, the committee considered three draft bills and recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt them on the second reading.
The bills are as follows:
· bill No.1227 “On amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On military duty and military service” regarding refining some issues of military service for citizens”;
· bill No.1224 “On amendments to certain laws of Ukraine regarding employment by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Special Transport Service of military equipment, weaponry, and special means in a special period”;
· bill No.0906 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding military duty and military service”.
Following the discussion of the a.m. bills, the committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt them on the second reading and in tote. Committeemen familiarized themselves with the legislative framework of defence procurements, presented by representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture and the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
Following the discussion, it was decided to create a working group to elaborate the above legislative initiatives. The group will be working within the framework of the committee’s Sub-committee on Defenсe Industry and Technical Upgrade. Ihor Kopytin, MP, is supposed to chair the said working group.
Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy
The committee recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the second reading of the bill No.1031 on the confiscation of PEPs’ illegal assets, and punishment for acquiring such assets. There was said that the restoration of criminal liability for illicit enrichment is a commitment to the International Monetary Fund and this is badly expected by the Ukrainian society.
The bill combines two legal tools to be used. The first one is liability for illicit enrichment, and the second is civil forfeiture against the same assets and the same people. The сommittee then considered some 300 amendments to the bill.
Following the review, the committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada approve the second reading of the bill.
Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy
The committee recommended the parliament to take it on the second reading the bill No.1048 regarding the functioning of authorized economic operators (AEO). The bill is set to launch in Ukraine the AEO institute similar to the EU’s double, and to streamline meeting Ukraine’s commitments against international treaties.
The body also saw into two tax-related bills Nos.1209 and 1209-1 (as the alternate). The committee upheld the latter one on its first reading and recommended it to the parliament as such.
Linked with the above tax-focused bill, there were reviewed two bills Nos.1210 and 1210-1 (alternate) regarding amendments to Ukraine’s tax code aiming at reharmonizing the whole tax system. The draft laws are meant to launch international customs control standards for all international trade actors, implement the Action plan on base erosion and profit shifting, and streamline tax and fee administration practices.
The committeemen reviewed the draft bill No.2102 “On amendments to certain laws of Ukraine in connection with the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Ukraine to Improve International Tax Compliance and to Implement FATCA”. The committee recommended the parliament to take it on the first reading and in tote as law. The bill is supposed to alter local laws on banks and banking and Ukraine’s depositary system.
The body also reviewed and approved the bill No.2103 closely linked with the above FATCA bill. The paper is drafted to make relevant amendments to Ukraine’s tax code. The committee recommended the parliament to take the bill on the first reading and in tote.