Green Paper - A Systemic Review of the Quality of State Regulation of the Markets: Construction Materials of Artificial Origin - Cement

Ukraine |   | 
Publications

A Green Paper produced by the Better Regulation Delivery Office, with the support of the EU4Business FORBIZ project, on the state of regulations in the cement market.

The Green Paper is the result of an efficiency analysis of the market regulation on ‘Construction Materials of Artificial Origin: Cement’. Its purpose is to identify and analyse the shortcomings of the current regulatory environment and develop more efficient alternatives for market regulation.

The report says the main regulatory deficiencies stem from the regulatory framework itself – which conflicting provisions, as well as illegal and irrelevant regulations. Many of the problems lie in the ineffectiveness of market surveillance mechanisms in Ukraine, the lack of adequate accountability and, as a consequence, the prevalence of counterfeit products. At the same time, with the termination of UkrSEPRO, the state system of mandatory product certification, on 1 January 2018, combined with the ineffectiveness of market surveillance, producers warn of a significant increase in the risks to the quality of cement and derivative products.

The report includes a number of recommendations to ‘fix’ the market, including:

  • Implement in Ukrainian law the provisions of European law setting out harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products.
  • Carry out a revision of the regulatory framework and tools for the market with the further implementation of the norms meeting the current requirements of both businesses and the state.
  • Develop and implement effective market surveillance mechanisms for the supply chain to protect consumers against counterfeiting.

Reform in this direction would lead to:

  • Increased profitability of the cement market and reduced number of loss-making enterprises
  • Modernised state certification system and standards
  • Improved quality of construction materials, and protection of consumers from hazardous products
  • European quality of cement
  • Transparent electronic government services
  • Better availability of information
  • Modern technologies in construction

The Better Regulation Delivery Office, together with the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade and the State Regulatory Service of Ukraine, with the support of the FORBIZ project, has launched the ProDialogue under the EU4Business initiative. It aims to involve all stakeholders in reviewing regulatory solutions and working out ways to address them. As a result, a series of Green Papers has been developed, which analyse the current state of market issues and potential ways to improve the regulatory environment. A further set of White Papers represents a consolidated product of the groundwork by the business community and expert environment in the form of practical recommendations and suggestions for the authorities in order to improve the regulatory framework.