Profile committee recommends Rada to adopt at first reading bill on new database of IMEI codes

KYIV. Nov 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Committee on Digital Transformation has recommended the Parliament to adopt at the first reading bill No. 6183 on amendments to the Law on electronic communications, which provides for the creation of a new database of IMEI codes.

The bill proposes to create in Ukraine an automated information system for accounting for international identifiers and a register of identifiers, in which international identifiers receive one of three possible statuses: the first is allowed, the second is temporarily allowed, the third is prohibited for use in the electronic communication network of mobile communications.

At the same time, mobile network operators will be obliged to maintain local registers of identifiers, conduct online integration with an automated information system for accounting for international identifiers and inform end users about the status of international identifiers of their phones in the register of identifiers.

Also, to prevent infringement of the rights of foreigners, it is assumed that it will be possible to use a telephone imported into the territory of Ukraine for 120 days without restrictions.

At the same time, not to restrict the rights of citizens to purchase a mobile device abroad, it is proposed to allow two mobile phones to be moved across the customs border as personal belongings, but at the same time, citizens shall confirm their crossing the border or the fact of purchasing a phone to change the status of “temporary” to the status “approved for use.”

To prevent theft and prevent the possibility of using stolen equipment, the status of such equipment, according to the bill, in the event of its theft, will be changed to “prohibited for use in the electronic communication network.” According to the authors of the bill, this provision will make the theft of mobile phones and similar equipment impractical, since it cannot be used and sold.

And to mitigate the negative impact of the new requirements on the end user, all phones remain in the operator’s network until December 31, 2024.

The committee said that the adoption of the bill will allow not only to protect consumers from theft of phones, but also to stop the illegal market circulation of final equipment. According to the authors of the bill, this will make it possible to receive additional revenues to the state budget in the amount of approximately more than UAH 2 billion annually.

As reported, Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) considers the idea of shifting the obligation to verify the legality of purchased phones to end users unacceptable.