American Chamber of Commerce calls on Ukrainian government to stop discrimination of business

Accents
2 October 2013, 16:20

The appeal addresses a number of legislative initiatives regarding outdoor advertising market drafted by the Cabinet and the parliamentary majority MPs.

The ACC warns of the risks that will emerge if the draft laws submitted to the Verkhovna Rada this summer by the Party of Regions MP Anton Yatsenko and the Cabinet are passed. According to the ACC, all these draft laws have a similar subject, while their approval might create obstacles for businessmen.

The ACC says a number of draft laws provisions are at odds with business and state. It also warns of potential losses for local budgets and job cuts.

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The ACC also notes risks for business activity in the country and possible losses of international contracts.

The ACC calls on the government of Ukraine to interfere in the situation and stop processes that might have negative impact on the investment image of the country.

The ACC proposes to create a working group to solve the problem. The group should consist of international experts in legal regulation of outdoor advertising.

As reported earlier, Ukrainian experts have already stated that the approval of the draft law on outdoor advertising by the legislature would destroy the outdoor advertising sector.

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In summer, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft law On Placement of Outdoor Advertising Along Public Highways, Streets and Roads Of Cities and Other Localities, drafted by Interior Ministry. Its authors propose to ban placement of outdoor advertising along the traffic area of public highways and less than 10 km away from the traffic area edge, on road signs and streetlight pillars, in the areas of transport junction, bridges and “in places of road accidents concentration.”

The draft law authors argue they are taking care of road traffic security. They also refer to the President’s decree on the 2010-2014 National Strategy to Implement Economic Reforms that demands the legislature to adjust legislation on outdoor advertising to the European framework and ban the placement of outdoor advertising on road signs.

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