New rules for the import of humanitarian aid will come into effect on December 1

Transparency versus speed, volunteers versus the government, or new rules for importing humanitarian aid.
 
From December 1, new rules for the passage of humanitarian aid will come into force in Ukraine. The government adopted the relevant resolution in September. The essence of the resolution is that all cargo will need to be declared on a special platform, as well as report there on what, when and to whom was transferred. According to officials, the system will contribute to the transparency of volunteers’ activities.
 
However, the volunteers themselves had many objections to the resolution. A petition demanding to postpone the introduction of the new system has already gathered the required 25,000 signatures.
 
According to the volunteers, the new system will significantly complicate their work and slow down the arrival of cargo. And these are not only clothes, foodstuffs, medicines for civilians, but also drones, turnstiles, walkie-talkies, cars for the military. Small foundations and organizations, of which there are hundreds in Ukraine, may have the most problems. They do not have the ability to pay accountants for reporting and declaration, so the sudden requirement to work through an electronic platform will complicate or even paralyze their work.
 
Establishing transparent processes is important. But the problem is that the government did not properly consult with all the parties that could be affected by the changes and therefore failed to come up with the best possible solution.
 
Charities are proposing that the government introduce a six-month transition period and set up a volunteer working group to develop an improved mechanism for importing humanitarian goods.