Today, January 23, 2024, Law No. 3448-IX "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts on Simplifying the Procedure for Importing, Accounting and Distribution of Humanitarian Aid" entered into force.
According to previous reports from the government, the new law contains key provisions regulating the importation and accounting of humanitarian aid. One of the main initiatives of the legislation is the simplification of procedures related to the importation, accounting and distribution of humanitarian aid.
The law also establishes the obligation to use the electronic humanitarian aid accounting system. According to the Ministry of Social Policy, the new platform, known as the Automated Humanitarian Assistance Registration System, was launched on December 1. During this time, 3,053 recipients were registered using the system, and the total number of legal entities that have the right to legally import humanitarian aid to Ukraine exceeded 4,500.
In addition, the circle of recipients of humanitarian aid has been expanded. Previously, this applied only to charitable foundations and public organizations registered in Ukraine with specific areas of statutory activity. Now foreign charitable organizations, representative offices that have accreditation in Ukraine have been added to this list. Non-profit state and communal institutions, local self-government bodies and social service providers can also be recipients.
Among other provisions that entered into force on the day of adoption, Law No. 3448-IX regulates the important issue of recognition of goods as humanitarian aid. In particular, goods purchased by charitable organizations abroad and declared as humanitarian aid when imported into Ukraine must be distributed free of charge to recipients within 90 days from the date of crossing the customs border in order to be recognized as humanitarian aid.
Among the important provisions of the law is the possibility of transferring vehicles to military personnel as natural persons (recipients) as humanitarian aid.
According to the new legislation, during the period of martial law or a state of emergency, as well as within three months after its termination or cancellation, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has the right to establish a simplified procedure for recognizing humanitarian aid, consider and make decisions on expanding the list of recipients of humanitarian aid.
It is noted that the recipients of humanitarian aid have the right to distribute or redistribute the aid among the recipients in compliance with the intended purpose without additional agreement with the donor. It is important to note that the change of the recipient of humanitarian aid is possible only with the written consent of the donor, except for cases when such consent was already given at the stage of the proposal for the provision of humanitarian aid or provided for in the deed regarding the provision of such aid.
