The Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU is working on draft
Laws No. 5274 “On the development of the beekeeping industry,
protection and preservation of bees” and an alternative to it — No.
5274-1.
What do the draft Laws No. 5274 and
No. 5274-1 propose?
Draft Law No. 5274 proposes a range of measures, among which — the
creation of a new institution — a central executive body that will run
state policy in the field of beekeeping. The initiators of the draft
law are convinced that the creation of such a body is due to the need
for comprehensive development of the industry, as well as the fact that
it involves more than 2 million Ukrainians and this industry is
export-oriented. This central executive body should be coordinated by
the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, — the draft suggests.
Draft law No. 5274 also offers to:
- Create a State Trust Fund to protect bees and
stimulate the development of the industry.
- Define the mechanism of creation and functioning of
apiaries.
- Define the rights and responsibilities of
beekeepers.
- Introduce the Unified Register of Apiaries of
Ukraine for accounting, planning and management.
- Propose a mechanism for registration of the apiary,
issuance of the Apiary Passport and Certificate of registration of the
apiary.
- Provide for the development and implementation of
the National Program for the Protection and Preservation of Bees.
- Introduce regulations on protection of bees from
the harmful effects of pesticides and agrochemicals.
- Propose a mechanism and procedure for informing
beekeepers about the use of pesticides and agrochemicals, determine the
procedure for investigation in case of mass poisoning and mass death of
bees.
- Introduce an electronic system of early
notification of the use of plant protection products and the State
electronic register of pesticides and agrochemicals with access to
beekeepers.
- Provide support for education for the industry and
science for the innovative development of beekeeping.
The draft Law also stipulates liability for violations of beekeeping
legislation.
Draft Law No. 275274-1 proposes:
- to detail the funding of the beekeeping industry
and to specify the directions of state support;
- to improve the guarantees of the rights of
beekeepers;
- to record and specify measures for the protection
and conservation of bees;
- to provide for controlled bee pollination in
accordance with scientific recommendations;
- to regulate and facilitate the work of nomadic
apiaries;
- to expand and clearly specify the issues related to
the protection of bees, prevention of bee poisoning, notification of
beekeepers about the treatment of plants with plant protection products;
- to expand the range of the responsibility for the
violations in the field of beekeeping;
- to list boarding as an element of the cultural
heritage of Ukraine;
- to expand educational and scientific support of the
beekeeping industry.
Ukraine is among the world leaders in the production and export of
honey. Last year, our country set a record for the sale of honey — more
than 80 thousand tons were exported. At the same time, according to the
authors of both draft laws, the Law of Ukraine «On Beekeeping», which
currently regulates this area, needs to be revised, finalized and
updated to create appropriate legal conditions for beekeeping and, most
importantly, protection of bees. The problem of disappearance of
pollinators because of uncontrolled use of pesticides and agrochemicals
leads to mass poisoning of bees and their death. The disappearance of
pollinators — ecologists warn —will lead to the extinction of many
species, change of ecosystems and could be a real disaster for the
planet.