Ukraine simplifies rules for humanitarian aid imports

The Verkhovna Rada passed legislation that changes the conditions for importing humanitarian aid into Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Social Policy on Facebook, Ukrinform saw.

"The Verkhovna Rada adopted Bill 9111 on humanitarian aid. The Ministry of Social Policy, as an active participant in drafting this legislation, welcomes and appreciates this decision because the bill contains a number of important norms," the report reads.

As the ministry emphasizes, the key innovation is the legislative simplification of importing, accounting for, and distributing humanitarian aid.

Thus, at the level of the law, an electronic system of accounting for humanitarian aid is being introduced. The corresponding platform has already been developed and tested since November 1.

In addition, the law expands the list of valid recipients of humanitarian aid. Previously, these could be charitable foundations and public organizations with defined areas of statutory activity, incorporated in Ukraine. Now, foreign charitable organizations whose representative offices are accredited in Ukraine have been added to the list. Recipients can also be non-profit state-owned and municipal institutions, local self-government bodies, and social service providers.

The bill also regulates the issue of recognition as humanitarian aid of goods purchased by charitable organizations abroad, which, when imported into Ukraine, are declared as humanitarian aid. The Ministry of Social Policy emphasizes that this will simplify the imports of drones, tourniquets, and other goods that are transferred in Ukraine free of charge after being bought abroad. Previously, only those goods that were received free of charge from a donor could be recognized as humanitarian aid.

The procedure for changing the recipient and acquirer of humanitarian aid, redistribution and return of humanitarian aid to the donor is also regulated, as well as the possibility of transferring vehicles to military personnel as humanitarian aid.

It is emphasized that until the implementation of the electronic humanitarian aid accounting system, the norm for submitting monthly reports has been suspended.