Today's Contents
Reporter's Notepad:
- Ukraine lawmakers consider zoning reform to accelerate development approvals: CMS
Just The Facts:
- Kremlin says it awaits Ukraine's response to proposal of direct talks, May 8-10 ceasefire
- Ukrenergo reaches agreement on debt management for its $825 million in green bonds
- Naftogaz names Sergii Koretskyi, head of subsidiary Ukrnafta, as its new CEO
Here's What They Think:
- Politico: An 'ugly' deal for Ukraine was predictable
- The Conversation: Putin's proposed three-day ceasefire is a ploy, but Ukraine can't refuse
Sober Second Thought:
- Cost of managing Chornobyl exclusion zone rose 9% to $55.6 million last year, DiXi Group reports
Rebuilder's Social
- Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko lauds governance reforms, TAS Agro plants 150 hectares of hemp and KSE Institute hosts a group of Swedish investment scouts.
Dear subscribers,
A quick note to say URN will not publish tomorrow or Friday for the May 1 holiday. We'll return to our regular publication scheduled on Monday, May 5. Enjoy your day off, for those of you celebrating.
In today's newsletter, we feature another contribution from our partnership with top 10 global law firm CMS. Today, CMS Ukraine covers for URN a critical issue related to bureaucracy in the construction process - an issue that will attract increasing attention as the reconstruction starts in earnest.
The following article is reported by CMS Ukraine staff, with editing by URN.
Ukraine lawmakers consider zoning reform to accelerate development approvals: CMS
Ukrainian lawmakers are weighing legislative amendments that would allow detailed plans of a territory (DPTs) to directly establish functional zones, a move aimed at accelerating the development process.
If approved, the amendments could make it easier for investors and developers to initiate projects, boosting reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, which investors complain are weighed down by excessive bureaucracy.
Currently, functional zoning and designated land use must be defined through higher-level planning documents such as a territorial community’s Comprehensive Spatial Development Plan, a settlement’s Master Plan, or a territorial Zoning Plan.
These documents typically cover large areas and require a lengthy, often bureaucratic, approval process. As a result, developers face significant delays in aligning project plans with zoning requirements.
Functional zones determine the permissible categories of land use—such as residential, public, or industrial—while designated use specifies allowable activities within those zones. Generally, the designated use must comply with the applicable functional zone, although during martial law, Ukraine temporarily relaxed this rule to enable more flexible changes.
The proposed legislative change would effectively restore the legal position that existed before January 2025, when DPTs could establish functional zones directly. The removal of this option at the start of the year created a bottleneck for new development projects.
The reform comes as Ukraine seeks to unlock billions of dollars in foreign investment and donor support tied to its reconstruction. Investors have repeatedly flagged bureaucratic delays as key obstacles to scaling up operations in Ukraine.
CMS is a top 10 global, full-service law firm with 75 offices and over 4,800 lawyers worldwide, and is the largest law firm in Europe. CMS Ukraine, with 8 partners and over 30 domestic and internationally qualified lawyers, offers a full-service practice with unparalleled knowledge of the Ukrainian market. As part of the CMS Rebuilding Ukraine initiative, the team supports the National Recovery Plan, advises on legislative changes, and helps businesses navigate reconstruction and war-driven challenges.
Call for Expertise
If your company has Ukraine-specific expertise in logistics, government relations, construction, ESG, agriculture, finance, telecommunications, infrastructure, human resources, lobbying or many other topics of potential interest to investors, consider collaborating with Ukraine Rebuild Newswire.
Contact founder Adam Brown at adam.brown@ukrainerebuildnews.com.
For questions related to daily news, story suggestions, scoops and other newsy matters, please message URN newsroom chief Valentina Bajic at valentina@ukrainerebuildnews.com.
Now, on with the other headlines of the day ...
