A full-scale attack by Russia in early 2022 required a quick response to new and unexpected challenges. War is bringing the constant changes which exerted pressure on the regulatory and legal base. To mitigate its consequences, the government had to constantly make amendments to legal and bylaws. The experts of the Ukrainian Agri Council provided wide support to the lawmakers to protect the interests of agrarians.

Unfortunately, the war continues, so in 2023 the UAC is carefully preparing for new challenges in the legislative field and has outlined a number of important bills that need to be adopted in the near future to support the agricultural sector.

1. Draft Law No. 8166-D - development of a legislative decision on non-return of foreign exchange earnings. This draft law takes into account the key proposals of agrarian associations. The document gives honest farmers the right to export without any additional tax within the established limit.

2. Bill No. 8298 . Front-line farms need to be supported by the state. Therefore, in order to facilitate the work of these agricultural producers, there is a need to regulate the tax exemption of group 4 in the territories of hostilities or temporarily occupied territories, as well as exemption from the payment of rent for the special water usage by energy-generating companies.

3. Bills No. 7646 and No. 7647 stand for the protection of farmers who remained in the occupation, but do not cooperate with the invaders. Today, economic activity in the occupied territories is considered collaboration and is subject to criminal liability. Farmers in the de-occupied territories have already felt the pressure from law enforcement officers. The UAC considers it necessary to clearly distinguish which agrarian work will be considered cooperation with the occupier, and which will be considered survival.

4. Draft law No. 8051 on state support for agricultural producers. The document introduces subsidies for partial payment of purchasing materials, equipment, works and services for agricultural production. Funding of vegetable and fruit producers is foreseen to reconstruct refrigerators, build laboratory complexes and production facilities. State support is also provided for the modernization of the heating system.

5. Development of legal regulation of the supply chain. Prohibition of unfair trade practices and establishment of payment deadlines by trade networks for supplied food products.

6. Draft Law No. 4457 on patronage dividends. This is the profit that the members of the cooperative can receive. It remains after paying taxes, fees and other mandatory payments and is determined by the results of the financial year. Patronage dividends are needed to encourage small producers to join cooperatives.

7. Bill No. 7577 . Together with Minagro, the Agrarian Committee of the Verkhovna Rada and with the support of USAID AGRO, the UAC has developed the draft Law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts on Improving the Management System of Engineering Infrastructure Objects of State-Owned Reclamation Systems."

8. Development of a draft law on the regulation of the issue of the grain wagons delivery 2 months in advance and the early designation of the loading point by Ukrzaliznytsia.

9. Development of the draft law "On electronic agricultural receipts" and amendments to the current legislation to improve the regulation of agricultural receipts in the existing form.