Committees round-up: Daily

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

• Committee on Economic Development

At its 29 April sitting, the committee saw into the second reading of the bill No.3132 “On amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine’ and certain legislative acts of Ukraine for the improvement of the system of the Antimonopoly Committee’s bodies”. The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (aka AC). The bill purposes to set up a net of AC ten-man bench commissions in charge of addressing public procurement infringements. Members of the committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill in its second reading.

The next bill examined was the one No.3297 “On amendments to the Economic Code of Ukraine (as to the elimination of fines and penalties on loans for the period of the quarantine established to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 in Ukraine”. The draft law suggests amending the Economic Code of Ukraine so as to render support to local businesses. The committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill on its first reading.

Committeemen also reviewed the bill No.2030 “On amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On state registration of legal entities, sole proprietors and civil society organizations’ (as to granting the right to a fee-free registration to persons with disabilities and persons who have suffered from the Chornobyl accident”. The сommittee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada include it in the agenda and adopt it on the first reading.

• Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy

At its 29 April sitting, the committee studied the bills Nos.3329, 3329-1 and 3329-2 “On amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine regarding the tax exemption for earnings of health care providers directly involved in combating the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)”. The committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the draft law No.3329-2 on its both readings.

The committee took up the bills Nos.2788, 2788-1 and a revised 2788-d (2788-д). An ad hoc working group in charge of the said bills had studied the international experience and then spoke in favour of launching a postal bank. The committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada support the draft bill No.2788-d on the first reading.

• Committee on Rules of Procedure, Parliamentary Ethics and Administration of Verkhovna Rada’s Work

At its 29 April sitting, the committee viewed a series of draft resolutions as follows:

-resolution No.3400 “On amendments to the Verkhovna Rada resolution ‘On the establishment of a Verkhovna Rada temporary committee of inquiry to probe into the publicised facts of likely corrupt practices of public officials that have caused substantial damage to Ukraine’s state budget revenues’. Taking it on the second reading was recommended;

-resolution No.3401 “On amendments to the Verkhovna Rada resolution “On election of chairmen, first deputies, deputy chairmen, secretaries, members of committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the ninth convocation”. Further consideration of the document was recommended;

-resolution No.3402 “On amendments to the Verkhovna Rada resolution “On election of chairmen, first deputies, deputy chairmen, secretaries, members of committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the ninth convocation”. Taking the document on its second reading was recommended.

• Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights

The committee is going to soon initiate committee hearings on pension system matters.

At its 29 April sitting, the committee considered the following draft bills:

-bill No.3114 (and the bill No.3114-1 as its alternate) – “On amendments to Article 14 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On status and social protection of citizens who have suffered from the Chornobyl accident’”. Adoption of this bill will allow it to regularize the issuance of special certificates for persons affected by the Chornobyl disaster. The сommittee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada include the bill No.1314 in its agenda and adopt it on the first reading;

-bill No.3181 “On amnesty in 2020”. Taking the document on its first reading was recommended;

-bill No.3215 “On amendments to Article 17 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On collection and accounting of a single contribution to obligatory state social insurance’ as to providing free secondary legal aid centres with information from the State register of obligatory state social insurance”. Taking the document on its first reading was recommended.

Committee members approved their recommendations to the committee hearings on the state of play in arrears on wages that took place on March 11, 2020. There was also supported the proposal to hear in late May the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine on the state of play in settling wage arrears.