The Cabinet of Ministers at its session on Wednesday approved a Concept of reforming the system of state supervision (control) in environmental protection sector. Introducing the draft decision, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said: "Throughout the country there exist environmental problems: waterbasins, waste disposal and other environmental problems. Nobody has used a system approach to settle those challenges. On the one hand, we must exercise control, on the other hand, embark on solving the environmental challenges that have accumulated in our country."

In turn, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Ostap Semerak noted that among the essential objectives of the reform is the transition of the state environmental protection service from a punitive authority to the service to monitor prevention of negative environmental impact, the introduction of a transparent system of environmental control and raising public awareness, the establishment of public control, the harmonization with European standards, the elimination of corruption risks, the establishment of close cooperation with local authorities.

According to Ostap Semerak, the document stipulates for, inter alia, cancelation of annual scheduled inspections of small and medium businesses niether engaging in hazardous activities in the production process nor posing a threat to the environment, and transition from quantitative checks to quality checks.

"The reform, which is now being presented, means the shift in the environmental service to applying the best modern European standards that are called to protect the environment, the quality of lives of everyone of us in this environment and to prevent corruption risks, pressure on small, medium or large-sized business", the Minister highlighted.