On December 18, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 12148 “On Amendments to the Section ‘Final and Transitional Provisions’ of the Civil Code of Ukraine on the Peculiarities of Lending and Financial Leasing during the Period of Martial Law”.

The decision was voted for by 265 MPs.

The draft law provides for the introduction of special lending and leasing conditions for farmers during martial law. In particular, it establishes a temporary prohibition on the forced collection of debts from farmers whose property is located in the zone of active hostilities or in the temporarily occupied territories for the period of martial law and for one year after its ending.

This draft law is the result of the joint work of experts of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council, farmers, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, MPs and other stakeholders who have been working for two years to create a mechanism to protect farmers who have found themselves in difficult conditions due to the war.

The UAC thanks First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotskyi, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Oleksandr Haidu, Chairman of the Committee on Legal Policy Denys Maslov, members of the Committee Serhii Demchenko and Oleksii Honcharenko, and Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Finance Oleksandr Kovalchuk for their active support and systematic work.

UAC experts are preparing proposals for the second reading. Farmers hope that the draft law will be adopted early next year. Its adoption will be a significant step towards protecting Ukrainian farmers by providing them with the necessary support under martial law.