Road restrictions, booking changes, and border control: what will change in Ukraine starting November 1st?

Starting November 1, new speed limits will be implemented for Ukrainian drivers, and border control at the Polish border will be tightened. Additionally, next month there may be changes to the conditions for receiving "reservations" from mobilization, and it is likely that a tax increase law will come into effect.

RBC-Ukraine outlines the changes expected in November 2024.

Traffic Regulations Changes

As of November 1, stricter speed limits will be enforced on highways. Previously, certain sections within cities (particularly in Kyiv and Dnipro) allowed speeds of up to 80 km/h; starting tomorrow, the limit will be set at 50 km/h.

The Patrol Police Department explains that these new regulations are being enacted due to the onset of the winter season, which is potentially more dangerous for road users.

Screenshot from facebook.com/UA.National.Police

Martial Law Extension

The duration of martial law and mobilization due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine will be extended from November 10 for another 90 days – until February 7, 2025. This decision was made by the Verkhovna Rada at the end of October.

A special regime was introduced in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and since then, the parliament has established new deadlines for its implementation 13 times. The last extension of martial law was from August 11 to November 9, 2024.

During the period of martial law, certain rights and freedoms of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine may be temporarily restricted.

Mobilization Reservations

The Ukrainian government is continuing its inspection of enterprises, institutions, and organizations that hold critical status and reserve their employees from mobilization.

The audit was prompted by a significant increase in the number of such enterprises and the number of reservations.

The government has set the deadline for inspections until November 15, 2024, during which time the "Diia" app's reservation service has been temporarily suspended.

Only employees who received reserved status before May 31, 2024, can extend their mobilization deferment.

Decisions regarding reservations made in the last four months will be made after the audit is completed.

Moreover, after November 15, the Cabinet intends to tighten the requirements for classifying enterprises as critical, particularly:

• the average salary at the enterprise may be increased;
• there may be a requirement to coordinate criticality criteria with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Economy.

All enterprises with critical status since June 2024 will be further checked for the validity of their status. Some of these enterprises have reportedly lowered their declared salaries or sharply increased their employee numbers after obtaining such status.

Tax Increases

In mid-October, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law to increase taxes. The document is currently awaiting the signature of President Volodymyr Zelensky and will come into effect only after approval by the head of state and publication in the parliamentary newspaper "Golos Ukrainy."

Regardless of when the law takes effect, some new taxes will need to be paid retroactively by Ukrainians – starting from October 2024.

According to the law:

• the military tax on all citizens' income will rise from 1.5% to 5%;
• the military tax for individual entrepreneurs of groups I, II, and IV will be set at 10% of the minimum wage;
• a military tax of 1% on the income of individual entrepreneurs of group III will be introduced;
• the profit tax rate for non-banking financial institutions (excluding insurers) will be 25%;
• monthly advance payments on profit tax will be introduced for gas stations;
• the profit tax rate for banks for 2024 will be set at 50%.

For detailed information about the provisions of the new law regarding record tax increases, RBC-Ukraine has elaborated in a separate article.

NBU Withdraws 50 and 200 Hryvnia Banknotes

In November, the National Bank will start withdrawing 50 UAH and 200 UAH banknotes from circulation. This refers to banknotes of the "old model" – issued in 2003 and 2007.

Photo: 50 UAH and 200 UAH old model banknotes will be replaced (bank.gov.ua)

It should be noted that these banknotes will remain valid, and there is no need to exchange them.

The withdrawal will occur gradually. Banks will not issue these banknotes for any cash operations. The NBU will stop supplying these banknotes to banks, cash-in-transit companies, and cash processing companies.

Old banknotes will be replaced with 50 UAH and 200 UAH of the 2014 model and later.

Tightened Border Control with Poland

Poland is introducing new rules for border control starting November 1. These rules will apply to foreign carriers not part of the EU, Switzerland, and the European Free Trade Association, including Ukrainian ones.

The new measure requires mandatory registration of transportations in the electronic transport monitoring system before crossing the Polish border. This must be done regardless of the type of cargo being transported.

Drivers will be required to always carry a registration number RMPD from the SENT system. Additionally, they must ensure continuous transmission of geolocation data of the vehicle.

Screenshot from facebook.com/LVcustomsUA

In case of violations, fines range from 1,500 zlotys (15,000 UAH) to 12,000 zlotys (120,000 UAH).

Identification for Pensioners: Who Needs to Undergo It

In November, one category of Ukrainians will need to undergo a personal identification procedure to continue receiving pensions.

This applies to pensioners among internally displaced persons who received this status before the start of the full-scale war on February 24, 2022.

Identity can be confirmed in several ways:

• at a branch of Oschadbank;
• at branches of the Pension Fund;
• via video conferencing with the Pension Fund;
• through a personal electronic cabinet on the Fund's website;
• at a foreign diplomatic institution to obtain a certificate of life (then provide this document to the Pension Fund where the pensioner is registered).

The physical identification procedure must be completed every six months.

If the identification is not completed within the specified timeframe, pension payments will be suspended. After completing the procedure, all unpaid funds will be credited back to the pensioner's account.

Sources include: press service of the National Police of Ukraine, posts on the Lviv Customs Facebook page, publications from the Government Portal, Pension Fund of Ukraine, NBU press service, text of bill 11416-d on the VR website.