President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed Law No. 9111 on amendments to certain legislative acts to simplify the procedure for the import, accounting and distribution of humanitarian aid.
The law, which changes the conditions for the import of humanitarian aid into Ukraine, was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on December 8. The law simplifies the procedure for importing, accounting and distributing humanitarian aid. In particular, the law introduces an electronic system of humanitarian aid accounting.
In addition, the law expands the list of recipients of humanitarian aid. Previously, these could be charitable foundations and public organizations registered in Ukraine with certain areas of activity. Now it also includes foreign charitable organizations whose representative offices are accredited in Ukraine. Recipients can also be non-profit state and municipal institutions, local governments, and social service providers.
If charitable organizations purchase certain goods abroad and declare them as humanitarian aid when importing them into Ukraine, this is recognized as humanitarian aid. Previously, only goods received free of charge from a donor could be recognized as humanitarian aid.
The draft law simplifies the import and accounting of drones, turnstiles, etc. It also makes it possible to transfer vehicles to the military as humanitarian aid.
Benefactors have 90 days from the moment they cross the border to transfer the goods to recipients free of charge.
