President enacts NSDC decision on protection of Ukraine’s national interests in aviation sphere

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) as of July 20, 2015 "On measures aimed to protect the national interests of Ukraine in the aviation sphere."

According to the NSDC decision, in order to improve the implementation of the state policy in the sphere of aviation and resolve problematic issues in the development of national market of air transportation, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine must immediately approve a plan of actions to prepare for the establishment of joint aviation space between Ukraine and the EU and harmonize the Ukrainian legislation in the aviation sector with that of the EU.

Within a month, the government should study the issue of reorganization of the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine, optimization of state regulation of the use of the country's airspace, and the implementation of state supervision in the field of civil aviation, etc.

Within two months, the Cabinet of Ministers must approve the plan of actions on the development of civil aviation in Ukraine until 2020 and the creation of an international hub airport on the basis of the state enterprise Boryspil International Airport.

The government must also prepare, taking into account international practice, and submit in a prescribed manner for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on the approval of a new national program of civil aviation security. The government must develop mechanisms of state support for domestic airlines in line with the requirements of the EU competition legislation.

A separate item of the NSDC decision provides for the measures aimed to facilitate the investigation of the MH17 tragedy.