New legislation on agricultural cooperation

Abstract

The article provides a scientific and theoretical analysis of the trends in the development of Ukrainian legislation in the field of agricultural cooperation. The author notes that the Law of Ukraine dated July 21, 2020 “On Agricultural Cooperation” (the new Law), on the one hand, sets out in detail the basis for the functioning of these business entities, but, on the other hand, its content almost completely eliminates the basic principles of agricultural cooperation established by national legislation and also contradicts the principles of the cooperative movement. There is a general negative trend in the development of legislation on agricultural cooperation. It can be seen already in the Law of Ukraine of November 20, 2012 “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Agricultural Cooperation”, which is characterized by a “truncated form” (only 16 out of 38 articles remain), a considerable number of reference provisions, and the establishment of advantages for the development of agricultural service cooperation. With the adoption of the new Law, this trend has deepened and consists in the artificial separation of agricultural cooperation from the cooperative system and the gradual loss of its social orientation. This approach is unacceptable and will have a negative impact on the further development of not only agricultural cooperation as a social and legal phenomenon, but also agricultural production and the social sphere of rural areas.