Legislative news digest: LEGAL HOTLINE 21.03.2019

The National Bank has left a discount rate unchanged
 

The Board of the National Bank of Ukraine has decided to leave the discount rate at the level of 18.0% per annum.

The preservation of the discount rate was approved by the Decision of the Board of the National Bank of Ukraine No. 199-рш “On the Discount Rate Amount” dated March 14, 2019.

The next meeting of the Board of the National Bank of Ukraine on monetary policy issues will be held on April 25, 2019.

State regulation of prices for medical products has been abolished
 

By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 184 dated March 06, 2019, the restriction on the amount of the surcharge to the price of medical products, which are purchased in whole or in part at the expense of the state and local budgets, has been cancelled.

The aforementioned Resolution came into force on March 13, 2019.

Business entities in the field of intellectual property will be inspected pursuant to a new checklist
 

Effective March 07, a new form to verify compliance with the requirements of the legislation in the field of intellectual property are in force. The unified form of the Act was approved by the Order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine No. 96 dated January 29, 2019.

Approval of the new form was warranted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopting the Resolution No. 342 dated May 10, 2018, which introduced methods for developing criteria for assessing the degree of risk from the conduct of business activity.

The list of issues to be checked during the implementation of the control measure is contained in the unified form of the Act itself, henceforth the Ministry of Economic Development will inspect economic entities based on a new checklist.

A requirement to eliminate violations detected during the verification of compliance with the legislative requirements in the field of intellectual property will also be issued in a new form.

The rules for checks round-off will enter into force
 

The Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 168 dated March 06, 2019 amended the Procedure for the conduct of trade activities and the rules of trade services in the consumer goods market.

According to the rules, cashiers and sellers are obliged to round up the total amount of payments in checks if there are no coins of small denominations to give the change. Round-off is taking place according to the Resolution of the Board of the National Bank of Ukraine No. 25 on optimization of circulation of small denomination coins dated March 15, 2018.

In addition, it has been established that the cashier and other employee who is entitled to receive money from the consumer for the goods sold are obliged to accept, without limitation, the notes and coins of all denominations, issued by the National Bank (including petty cash, revolving coins, commemorative and worn banknotes and coins), which are means of payment and do not cause doubt with regard to their authenticity, at their nominal value.