Decentralization reform underway: the powers of state architectural and construction control transferred to the local level

On May 13, 2015, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed Law No. 320-VIII " On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine relating to decentralization of powers in the field of architectural and construction control and improvement of urban planning legislation", developed by the Ministry of Regional Development.

The document introduces the decentralization of management in the state architectural and construction control, differentiates control and supervision notions, determine the bodies exercising the state architectural and construction control and supervision, their powers, a procedure of forming and their activity.

The law shall contribute to the improvement of urban planning and the state architectural and construction control, shall reduce corruption risks by simplifying licensing procedures, strengthen the role of local executive authorities and local self-government bodies in the complex development of the territories to follow interests of their communities, as well as make services closer to the citizens.

The law introduces amendments to the Code of Ukraine on administrative offences, laws "On the principles of urban development", "On waste", "On local state administrations", "On architectural activity", "On regulation of urban development", "On court fee", "On responsibility for offenses in the sphere of town-planning activity", "On the basic principles of state supervision (control) in the sphere of economic activity".