The EC will issue grants to small farmers in Ukraine / Photo from UNIAN, by Volodymyr Hontar
The European Commission has allocated EUR 50 million in grants to support Ukrainian farmers in acquiring land after the launch of the farmland market in Ukraine.
Deputy Director General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Katarina Mathernova announced this during the Ukraine 30. Land Forum on May 24.
"We have in fact allocated EUR 50 million in grants over two years to support farmers, small farmers notably, [for them] to be able to finance the purchase of land," she said.
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Farmland market launch in Ukraine
- On November 14, 2019, a bill on the lease and sale of state-owned and municipal land via e-auctions (No. 2195) passed its first reading in parliament.
- Ukrainian agribusinesses urged lawmakers to back that bill.
- On April 28, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a comprehensive bill on deregulation in the field of land relations.
- Bill No. 2194 provides for the transfer of state-owned land outside villages and towns (except for land that the state needs to perform its functions) into municipal ownership of village and town councils or territorial communities. The latter are also empowered to change the designated purpose of privately owned plots of land.
- In addition, it is proposed that the powers of the State Service for Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre were revised.
- On April 28, 2020, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill on amendments into law to launch the farmland market in Ukraine from July 1, 2021.
- The law provides for gradual land reform: from July 1, 2021, citizens of Ukraine will be able to buy farmland plots capped at 100 hectares. At the second stage, i.e. from January 1, 2024, the cap will be raised to 10,000 hectares, while legal entities will also be allowed to acquire land plots.
- On May 13, 2021, it was reported the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on June 3, 2021, would start considering a motion filed by a number of lawmakers challenging the law on farmland turnover.
- On May 18, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law on the sale of land under new rules.
- On May 19, 2021, lawmakers managed to unblock the signing of the law on deregulation of land relations.