News and Statements

UKRPEC Signs a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Economy,
Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine

The Ukrainian Packaging and Environmental Coalition (UKRPEC) has signed a
Memorandum on Interaction, Cooperation, and Partnership with the Ministry of Economy,
Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine. The document lays the groundwork for joint efforts
to introduce a modern European model for packaging waste management in Ukraine and to
launch an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system.

In particular, the Memorandum outlines the following areas of cooperation:

  • In particular, the Memorandum outlines the following areas of cooperation:
  • joint participation in drafting legislative and regulatory acts required to implement
    European requirements in the field of packaging waste management;
  • exchange of experience aimed at establishing an effective system for separate
    collection and sorting of waste;
  • development of digital accounting and reporting tools through the Waste
    Management Information System;
  • exchange of analytical data, organization of joint events, and promotion of
    environmental awareness and culture in society, among others.

One of the key practical steps envisaged by the Memorandum is the development of a draft
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the implementation of an
experimental project to simplify the conditions for introducing an Extended Producer
Responsibility system for packaging. The initiative aims to create legal and organizational
opportunities to test effective EPR mechanisms and to prepare for their large-scale
implementation at the national level.

The parties also agreed to coordinate actions, hold regular consultations, exchange
information, establish joint working groups, and participate in government initiatives aligned
with the objectives of the Memorandum.

“Although the Memorandum is currently more of a declaration of intent, its signing is
an important and positive signal. For us, it is also an opportunity to synchronize
positions ahead of the vote on the new version of the draft law ‘On Packaging and
Packaging Waste’.

At the same time, it must be emphasized that the full-scale implementation of an
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system in Ukraine is impossible without the
adoption of the relevant legislation. Article 10 of the current Law ‘On Waste
Management’ explicitly states that the transfer of responsibility for waste
management from local self-government bodies to an EPR organization may occur
only through the adoption of a special law.

In addition, producers currently lack sufficient legal grounds to include waste
management costs in the cost of goods. As a result, financing such projects is
possible only in the form of charitable contributions. Under the Tax Code of Ukraine,
companies may allocate no more than 4% of their profit from the previous year for
charitable purposes (up to 8% during martial law). These funds are clearly
insufficient, especially given that large producers traditionally support a wide range of
other charitable initiatives.

Nevertheless, the Memorandum establishes a foundation for systematic cooperation
with the government and serves as a prerequisite for preparing decisions aimed at
creating a modern, European-style packaging waste management system in
Ukraine,” – emphasized Volodymyr Slabyi, Head of the Executive Committee of
UKRPEC.

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