Industrial pollution — why there is debate around the laws.

Ukrainian enterprises have expressed their dissatisfaction with bill No. 13157 'On amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine due to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine 'On Integrated Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution.' According to the businesses, the authorities are using an important environmental document as an opportunity to raise taxes.

Bill No. 13157 was adopted in the first reading in early June and will be considered for final approval shortly. The reform on preventing industrial pollution insists on creating a single form for obtaining an integrated environmental permit.

What is known about bill No. 13157

The law establishes requirements for the integrated permit and merges all aspects of environmental impact. Enterprises are required to submit applications to the Ministry under the new rules starting from August 8, 2025.

What will change after the adoption of the bill

The law will allow tax authorities to obtain data from integrated permits regarding the environmental tax, rent charges for resource use, and water usage.

Why there are controversies around it

Most of the controversies have been triggered by large players, particularly gas extraction companies. They believe that the new rules may increase their costs and impact the price of gas for consumers.

According to one representative of a gas extraction company, enterprises will have to spend money on upgrading equipment and complying with the new requirements of the law. Other sources point to the need for a rapid budget replenishment due to contemporary challenges, including military actions and environmental issues.