Simplification of import, accounting, and distribution of humanitarian aid

21 March 2023
Simplification of import, accounting, and distribution of humanitarian aid
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Draft bill #9111 of March 16, 2023

Cosponsor: a group of MPs from the Servant of the People faction

Who is affected: volunteers, charity foundations, civic organizations, hospitals receiving humanitarian aid, the President, the Verkhovna Rada, and recipients of humanitarian aid

Summary of the bill:

  • providers of medical and rehabilitation services who have signed contracts with the Ministry of Health to provide medical services to the population will become recipients of humanitarian aid
  • while martial law or an emergency situation is declared, the Cabinet will be allowed to expand the list of recipients of humanitarian aid
  • it will be allowed to recognize the aid as humanitarian not only by having a written proposal from the donor to provide it but also a request from the recipient to be allowed to receive such aid
  • changing the recipient of humanitarian aid will only be possible with the written consent of the donor
  • while martial law or an emergency situation is declared, the Cabinet of Ministers will be allowed to introduce a simplified procedure for recognizing aid as humanitarian
  • the National Social Service of Ukraine will maintain an automated system for registering humanitarian aid
  • the Verkhovna Rada will not be allowed to make decisions on providing humanitarian aid to other states anymore. Only the President will have the authority to make such decisions
  • it will be allowed to provide humanitarian aid to other states in a form of goods or money, assistance by civil defense forces and/or disaster medical services
  • while martial law or an emergency situation is declared, legal entities will be recognized as legitimate recipients of humanitarian aid, regardless of them being registered in the Register of recipients of humanitarian aid
  • the mandatory monthly reporting will be canceled until it is possible to submit relevant documents online using an automated system for registering humanitarian aid.

What is right:

  • the bill expands the list of recipients of humanitarian aid to medical and rehabilitation service providers. As a result, the population will have better access to these services and the quality of the services will increase
  • the simplified procedure for recognizing aid as humanitarian will speed up the delivery of humanitarian aid
  • there will be fewer risks of abuse in the handling of humanitarian aid due to the strengthening of control over its circulation.

What is wrong:

  • the Constitution defines a different procedure for providing humanitarian assistance to other states. It requires the President to request an approval for such assistance, and the Parliament has to give its consent.