In the second reading, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) voted for draft law No. 9206, which amends national legislation in the field of advertising in accordance with EU norms. The decision was supported by 298 MPs.
The bill provides for a ban on any advertising of residents of the aggressor country, as well as a ban on placing in advertising discriminatory statements or images that incite hatred, enmity or cruelty.
"Also, we are removing archaic regulations and simplifying the requirements for advertising services provided using electronic communications. In addition, we retain in the legislation the ban on advertising of tobacco, electronic smoking devices, and liquids for them," explained the deputy head of the "Servant of the People" faction Yevgenia Kravchuk.
In particular, the following changes are made to the Law "On Advertising":
- clear criteria have been introduced to identify advertising that falls under the jurisdiction of Ukraine;
- specified requirements for the necessary licenses and permits for advertised goods and services;
- the regulation of social advertising has been improved, for example, it is allowed to show weapons, refer to the advertiser, if it is a state body or an international organization;
- simplified rules for interrupting the broadcast of films, news programs and childrenʼs programs with advertising;
- advertising quotas in audiovisual media increased to 20%.
The draft law "On advertising" is one of the European integration laws, together with the law "On media".
Accession of Ukraine to the EU and NATO
On September 16, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament simultaneously approved the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. It entered into force in full on September 1, 2017. The strategic course for Ukraineʼs membership in the European Union and NATO has been enshrined in the Constitution since February 2019.
On February 28, 2022, four days after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine applied to join the European Union under a special procedure. Soon, Georgia and Moldova submitted such applications.
On June 17, the European Commission recommended granting the status of a candidate for EU accession to Ukraine and Moldova, and also put forward a number of conditions that Ukraine must fulfill before the start of negotiations on accession to the European Union.
On June 23, EU leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit where Ukraine and Moldova were granted candidate status.
On April 27, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal informed that Ukraine has fulfilled all seven recommendations of the European Commission, which were given to it during the acquisition of candidate status, and will be ready to start the procedure of negotiations on joining the EU already at the end of 2023.