Concept of the law drafting office in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

High-quality laws make life in Ukraine transparent, predictable, and stable. Moreover, improving national legislation is one of the requirements of the European Union to become its full member.

What are the shortcomings of Ukrainian legislation, according to experts? These are frequent changes to laws, internal contradictions in the texts of laws, and insufficient accessibility of laws and accuracy of their wording.

A parliamentary law drafting office can be an effective tool in addressing these shortcomings. It is an institution where trained legal professionals provide technical preparation for a draft law. In addition, it is a common practice that has proven effective in developed parliamentary democracies.

During the first half of 2022, USAID RADA: Next Generation Program experts analyzed international experience in the field of best approaches to drafting laws.

Foreign experience shows that, in order to formulate and implement public policy effectively, it is necessary to create effective structures, hire qualified specialists, and approve procedures according to which the system will function. Untrained employees should not be preparing bills.

This approach can solve the complex problem of the quality and stability of Ukrainian legislation. Professional drafting will minimize the number of law changes and prevent technical inconsistencies.

Stanislav Ivasyk, Legal Advisor of the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program, gave more detail about the necessity of a law drafting office establishment in an article for the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia: "Ukrainian Legislation. How to Improve the Quality and What International Experience to Apply for?"

Based on the analyses and research conducted by the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program, the Concept of Establishing a Service Unit for Law Drafting in the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was developed, which outlines the following:

1. Application of international experience to solve the problems in Ukraine
2. Objectives of the Law Drafting Office in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
3. Legal status of the Law Drafting Office and its place in the organizational structure of the Parliament
4. Regulations of work and prerequisites for its establishment
5. Internal structure of the Office
6. The role of the Office in the process of ensuring the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to the acquis communautaire

In addition, the Concept contains a roadmap for establishing a law drafting office and indicators of the reform's effectiveness. You can download the document from this webpage.

In April 2023, as part of its advocacy activities, the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program organized a workshop on "Aspects of Digital Law Drafting," during which international expert Fotios Fitsilis spoke about the capabilities of artificial intelligence in law drafting, software for editing legislation and comparing legal texts, and tools used in the EU to develop and amend draft laws. All workshop materials are available via this link.

In March-May 2023, the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program conducted an information campaign on its Facebook page, reaching more than 5,500 people. In 12 posts, we informed the audience about the experience of foreign law drafting offices and the opportunities and prospects of such an institution within the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to improve Ukrainian legislation. In particular, the publications covered the following topics:

1. How to improve the quality of Ukrainian legislation?
2. Models of law drafting offices
3. Parliamentary model (the Republic of South Africa)
4. Centralized model (Australia and New Zealand)
5. Mixed model (Canada)
6. Structure of a law drafting office
7. Requirements for workers of a law drafting office
8. How to request a law drafting office?
9. International cooperation in the field of lawdrafting
10. Lawdrafting digitalization
11. Prerequisites for establishing a law drafting office in the VRU
12. The VRU Law Drafting Office in the state policy cycle
13. The VRU Law Drafting Office in Ukraine's EU integration process

You can find all the infographics and visuals of the information campaign in this document.

The publication was made within the framework of the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program, a five-year initiative (2021-2026) implemented by NGO "Internews Ukraine". One of the main objectives of the Program is to strengthen the legislative capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

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