Energy law: the UNBA and the ADMGE have agreed to cooperate

Advocates will deepen their professional expertise in the field of energy law, and participants in the distributed and flexible generation market will have greater opportunities to obtain professional legal assistance.

A corresponding memorandum was signed by the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the public association «Association of Distributed and Flexible Generation Entities». The document was signed by the President of the UNBA, BCU Lidiya Izovitova and the President of the Association of Distributed and Flexible Generation Entities Maksym Marchenko.

The goal of the cooperation is to develop legal expertise in the energy sector, improve the regulatory framework for distributed and flexible generation, and provide adequate legal support and protection of the legitimate interests of energy market participants. As M. Marchenko explained, the memorandum is intended to create a mechanism for systematically bringing the sector’s pressing issues to the government’s attention and for their joint legal review. This will contribute to the establishment of clear and transparent operating rules for market participants.

The parties plan to jointly review regulatory acts, draft legislation, government programs, and action plans in the energy sector, as well as prepare proposals for aligning them with European Union law. The memorandum provides for analytical and expert work, the preparation of legal opinions and methodological recommendations, and the development of quality standards for providing legal assistance to entities engaged in distributed and flexible generation.

During the signing ceremony, L. Izovitova highlighted the opportunity to combine the legal expertise of advocates with the specialized knowledge of representatives from the energy sector. She proposed focusing the collaboration on the expert review of industry initiatives: advocates will evaluate them from a legal perspective, while ADMGE specialists will provide advice on specific energy-related issues.

A separate area of focus will be the professional training of advocates. This will include training sessions, webinars, courses, and other educational programs on energy law, the functioning of the electricity and natural gas markets, as well as legal issues related to distributed and flexible generation. The Higher School of Advocacy of the UNBA may participate in the implementation of these educational initiatives.

Advocates will be invited to serve as experts, speakers, and moderators at industry events, in ADMGE working groups and expert panels, and in the preparation of analytical materials. Access to ADMGE’s market reviews and other industry information should help deepen the specialization of advocates working in the energy sector.

The document also provides for cooperation on ensuring safeguards for the practice of law and the professional rights of advocates who provide legal assistance in the energy sector. To implement the agreements, the parties will hold working meetings and consultations, prepare joint appeals and proposals to government authorities, and, if necessary, establish working and expert groups.

Chairman of the UNBA Committee on investment and privatization Andriy Shabelnikov and his deputy Vitaliy Zhadobin also participated in the discussion of the mechanisms for implementing the memorandum between the UNBA and the ADMGE.