The draft law “On the electricity market” is fundamental for the energy sector and the economy of Ukraine in general, so its timely adoption is essential. Adoption of this draft law is also a part of the international commitments which Ukraine assumed within the Treaty Establishing the Energy Community and the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The experts of the energy group of the Reanimation Package of Reforms demand that the MPs adopt the draft law №4493 “On electricity market” in the second reading at the upcoming plenary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Adoption of this draft law will allow to:

• implement the constitutional right of the consumers to choose the electricity supplier;
• open up the electricity market for the new participants;
• provide equal conditions for all the participants of the electricity market, thus ensuring competence in this market;
• facilitate integration of the domestic electricity market of Ukraine to the EU market;
• liquidate cross-subsidies by setting fair price in the free market conditions;
• abandon hands-on management of the electricity market.

The experts would like to draw the MPs’ attention to the fact that the effective laws (the Law of Ukraine No. 663-VII “On the principles of functioning of the electricity market of Ukraine” of 24.10.2013) provide for the launch of a flawed market model which complies neither with the Second, nor with the Third Energy Package of the EU in July 2017. Given the lack of several conditions (subordinate legislation, software, etc) and the incompliance with the European law which Ukraine committed itself to implement, introduction of such a model within the specified period is impossible and threatens to undermine the present-day electricity market, bearing negative impact on the consumers and the national economy.

Adoption of the draft law No. 4493 “On the electricity market” will help to avoid these threats. The draft law has been finalized with due consideration of the relevant regulations of the European law and provides a two-year transition period (by July 1, 2019) when all the necessary action shall be taken to launch a new electricity market in line with the targeted EU electricity market model.

The RPR experts on energy sector reform call on the MPs not to postpone adoption of this strategically important act and to adopt it as a whole at the upcoming plenary meeting of the Parliament.