Law of Ukraine "On Volunteering"

Date of entry into force:

May 15, 2011

(Abstract)

The Law regulates relations associated with conducting volunteer work in Ukraine.

According to Article 1 of the Law, volunteer work is voluntary, altruistic, socially oriented non-profit activity that is carried out by volunteers and volunteer organizations by way of rendering volunteer aid.

Volunteer work is a form of charity.

Volunteer work is based on the principles of lawfulness, humanity, equality, voluntariness, freedom of cost, altruism and non-profit nature.

Article 5 of the Law establishes that a volunteer organization is a legal entity that conducts its activity without the purpose of profit, and has received volunteer organization status according to the requirements of the Law.

A volunteer organization provides for involvement of volunteers to render volunteer aid by concluding volunteer work agreements with them.

A legal entity is granted volunteer organization status by the central body of executive power in the sphere of volunteer work, based on a written application submitted in the name of such legal entity (Article 6 of the Law).

Article 7 of the Law envisages that a volunteer has the right to:

·         appropriate conditions for volunteer work, in particular, receiving complete and reliable information on the procedure and conditions of volunteer work, and being provided with specialized personal protective facilities, gear and equipment;

·         vaccinations, medical examinations and other treatment and prophylaxis  measures directly related to rendering volunteer aid;

·         obligatory insurance according to the Law of Ukraine "On Insurance";

·         have the time spent doing volunteer work included in the term of work practice, if the volunteer work is carried out in the field that corresponds to the specialization of the volunteer;

·         compensation of expenses related to rendering volunteer aid;

·         other rights provided for in the volunteer work agreement and by the legislation of Ukraine.

Recipients of volunteer aid are natural persons that receive such aid based on a volunteer work agreement concluded with a volunteer organization (Article 8 of the Law).

Article 10 of the Law envisages that, under a volunteer work agreement, one party (the volunteer organization) is obligated to render the types of volunteer aid determined in the agreement to the other party (the recipient), by involving volunteers during a term established by the agreement, while the recipient is obligated to accept the volunteer aid.

The final provisions of the Law envisage introducing appropriate changes to the Laws of Ukraine "On Charity and Charitable Organizations", “On the Organization and Holding of the Final Part of the 2012 European Football Championship in Ukraine”, and "On Physical Culture and Sport".

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