Committees round-up: Daily

There are ||||| bodies in focus of our committee scan today:

• Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy

At its 30 April sitting, the committee saw into the bill No.2693 aimed to revise the committee’s finding on the media services act (aka the Law of Ukraine “On the media”) and the draft bill No.2693-1 “On the media in Ukraine”, as well as the draft bill No.2362 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine as to obtaining education in the state language at educational institutions”. Committeemen agreed to approve the revised committee’s finding and resend the bill for its first reading.

The committee then reviewed and took both first and second readings of the bill No.3206 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine with regard to a simpler procedure for hearing of legal cases related to protection of children’s rights”. The main purpose of the bill is to shorten duration of review for such legal investigations.

This initiative was supported by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson), Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights.

In addition, MPs studied the draft bill No.2493 “On stock corporations”, providing for some audit services-related novelties that go against the Ukrainian public broadcaster’s by-laws. These novelties were then recommended to be declined.    

• Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence

At its 30 April sitting, the committee heard Ukrainian defence minister’s plans to reform and develop the country’s armed forces.

• Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy

At its 30 April sitting, the committee proceeded with considering the second reading of the draft bill No.2280 “On amendments to the Land Code of Ukraine and other legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the land-use planning”. The draft law purposes to regulate community boundary issues; integrated spatial planning of community territories and standardization of issues related to approval of the associated documentation; standards of formation of digital cartographic basis for territory planning; ensuring an end-to-end link between socio-economic development programmes and spatial planning documentation, and creating a transparent mechanism for addressing public and private interests by means of transparent public discussions.

The draft law provides for making appropriate alterations to the Land Code of Ukraine, the Water Code of Ukraine, the Laws of Ukraine “On land management”, “On regulation of urban planning activity” and “On the State Land Cadastre”. MPs worked up in detail 100 amendments out of 236 submitted.

The committee also advised that the parliament include two bills Nos.3318, 3398 on veterinary medicine, animal welfare and so forth in its next agenda.

The committeemen also gave their recommendation to take the first reading of the bill No.3012-1 that ensures the right of employees of public and communal agricultural enterprises, institutions, organizations to obtain land allotments.

The same was said about both readings of the bill No.2446 that amends Ukraine’s tax code with regard to imposing VATax against oilseeds export operations.

At its next meeting, the committee will consider the use of budget funds for state support programmes to Ukraine’s agricultural sector in 2020.

• Committee on Digital Transformation

At its last sitting, the committee reviewed six draft bills. After due consideration, it was agreed to recommend that two draft laws be taken on the first reading:

Bill No.3314 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine because of the adoption of the Law of Ukraine ‘On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding a simplified pre-trial investigation of certain categories of criminal offences’”. This bill makes one of a series of draft laws necessary for the introduction of the institute of criminal infractions, which is to become operational in Ukraine starting from July 1, 2020. The draft law aligns its terminology with other pieces of legislation governing the spheres of telecommunications and cybersecurity in Ukraine.

Bill No.3377 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the state support to culture, creative industries, tourism, small and medium-sized businesses in connection with restrictions caused by the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)”.

The law aims to update and improve legal relations in many areas of activity that suffer sudden changes sparked off by the COVID-19 spread.

The committee supported the bill and gave its recommendations concerning repealing the rule to halve the tariff for the Broadcasting, Radiocommunications and Television Concern’s services to radio-frequency resource-users (television and radio broadcasting companies and application service providers).

The committee also heard the 2019 performance report of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization.

Committee on Economic Development

At its 30 April sitting, the committee examined the Cabinet’s action programme. The document was presented by the premier Denys Shmyhal.

During the discussion, committee members emphasized that the programme presented is in need of a substantial refinement and that the committee is ready to cooperate on the matter. It was agreed to have on 7 May a committee hearing on the government programme with the participation of the prime minister. The committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada send the government programme for further consideration, taking into account proposals of the committee.