Bills to exempt import of spare parts for drones from VAT and customs duties
Photo via EPA

Two draft laws to exempt imports of drone parts from value added tax and customs duties have been submitted in the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, two MPs announced on Friday.

Danylo Hetmantsev and Yaroslav Zhelezniak, who chair the parliamentary tax committee, said the bills were aimed at supporting domestic drone production in Ukraine.

"The exemption applies to specific parts that are necessary to establish drone production in Ukraine. I believe that we have every reason not only to supply the army with the military equipment necessary for victory, but also to build the most powerful industry in the world," Mr Hetmantsev posted on Telegram.

Mr Zhelezniak said the drafts provide for VAT and duty exemption for "the import of components (materials, assemblies, equipment units and components) of UAVs imported by enterprises for their own production activities for the manufacture and repair of unmanned aerial vehicles."

The company that imports such components will only be obliged to report on the use of those goods and, in case of misuse, pay additional customs duties and a penalty.

In February, the Verkhovna Rada cancelled duties and VAT on imports of copters and some other equipment needed by the military, such as thermal imagers, collimators, and night vision devices.