At a meeting on Monday, January 15, the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management decided to reconsider draft law No. 10217 "On the Functioning of Territories Affected by Radioactive Contamination as a Result of the Chornobyl Disaster."
The document will be preliminarily reviewed at a meeting of subcommittees with the involvement of experts to prepare a conclusion, the website of the Environmental Committee says.
It is noted that the MPs also recommended that the main committees submit it to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration and adoption as a law:
- Draft Law No. 0244 "On the Ratification of the Additional Agreement between Ukraine and the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on Privileges and Immunities for Technical Assistance Visits" – adoption as its basis and as a whole as law;
- Draft Law No. 0237 "On Withdrawal from the Agreement on the Cooperation of the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Event of the Evacuation of Their Citizens from Third Countries in the Event of Emergency Situations".
It is noted that at the meeting also:
- heard and approved the state of implementation of the Plan of legislative work of the Parliament for 2023;
- considered and approved the proposals and work plan for the draft agenda of the Parliament.
In addition, the eco-committee recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt as a basis "On forest reproductive resources". The document establishes the legal and organizational foundations and regulates the production and distribution of forest reproductive material in Ukraine. As well as its import and export, and approximation of the provisions of national legislation to the European one.
It is noted that the draft law:
- will allow to create a new system of regulation and control of activities for the acquisition and sale of forest reproductive material integrated to EU standards;
- will ensure preservation and reproduction of unique forest ecosystems, preservation of genetic diversity and valuable gene pool of species and hybrids of forest trees and shrubs;
- will increase Ukraine's forest cover by creating biotically stable stands;
- will ensure Ukraine's fulfillment of international obligations, including approximation of national legislation to EU legislation.
The message emphasized that the comments and suggestions of the Chief Scientific and Expert Department of the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada, the Committee on Budget Issues, the Committee on Digital Transformation of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Education and Culture can be taken into account during the preparation of the document for the second reading.
As reported by EcoPolitic earlier, Law No. 3116-IX "On Ukraine's Accession to the Minamata Convention on Mercury" entered into force in Ukraine on January 1, which introduces international rules for dealing with this poisonous metal and introduces a gradual ban on the production, import and export of goods containing mercury. However, it will take years to rid the country of mercury.
