Language law: what to do in order not to receive a fine?
Jan 23, 2024 22:52:47 GMT -5
Post by account_disabled on Jan 23, 2024 22:52:47 GMT -5
The language issue is not as painful as it is portrayed, because it is not the main problem of the country, but one of them. Everyone communicates in a language that is convenient for them, but it is necessary to communicate in institutions and keep documentation in Ukrainian. What should a business do then? Does this law apply to the Internet space and the activity of companies in social networks? Article 30 of Law No. 2704-VII – January 16, 2021 This article states that customer service should be provided in Ukrainian, i.e. the state language. From now on, all information about goods and services must be presented in Ukrainian. I quote: "Enterprises, institutions and organizations of all forms of ownership, natural persons - entrepreneurs, other business entities that serve consumers (except for the cases established by part three of this article), provide services and provide information about goods (services), including including through online stores and online catalogs, in the state language.
Information in the state language may be duplicated in other C Level Executive List languages" (more details - on the official website ). As a conclusion: all information channels of communication with the consumer should switch to the Ukrainian language. This norm will come into effect 18 months after the law enters into force. That is, those who sell services and goods using the site must use the state language from January 16, 2021 . Who is required to switch to the Ukrainian language from January 16, 2021? Online stores. All information on the website, product catalogs, etc. must be presented in the national language. Internet sites of services. All other Internet resources and social media pages of Ukrainian companies must switch to the Ukrainian language from July 16, 2022 . And that: media sources, informational sites, websites of government bodies, official pages in social networks. Of course, multilingualism has already been implemented on some sites, but the point is that the Ukrainian version of the site should be by default and have a volume no less than other language versions of the site.
This also applies to mobile applications. How will compliance be checked and fined? The secretariat of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language will check. Employees of the secretariat will consider complaints, issue protocols, in short - punish. In the case of the first violation, you can get away with a warning, in the case of the second (if the situation has not changed after the previous one, the violation is considered systemic) - a fine from UAH 3,400 to UAH 6,800 . Please note that this norm is effective from January 16, 2021. Articles were also added to administrative offenses, which provide for a fine for violations. They will work from July 16, 2022. Other authorities will be able to control the enforcement of the law and the amount of the fine. At the moment, it is unclear how they will do all this. In my opinion, they will process complaints and selectively choose their "targets". How to make the site Ukrainian? Manually translate the information on the site yourself.
Information in the state language may be duplicated in other C Level Executive List languages" (more details - on the official website ). As a conclusion: all information channels of communication with the consumer should switch to the Ukrainian language. This norm will come into effect 18 months after the law enters into force. That is, those who sell services and goods using the site must use the state language from January 16, 2021 . Who is required to switch to the Ukrainian language from January 16, 2021? Online stores. All information on the website, product catalogs, etc. must be presented in the national language. Internet sites of services. All other Internet resources and social media pages of Ukrainian companies must switch to the Ukrainian language from July 16, 2022 . And that: media sources, informational sites, websites of government bodies, official pages in social networks. Of course, multilingualism has already been implemented on some sites, but the point is that the Ukrainian version of the site should be by default and have a volume no less than other language versions of the site.
This also applies to mobile applications. How will compliance be checked and fined? The secretariat of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language will check. Employees of the secretariat will consider complaints, issue protocols, in short - punish. In the case of the first violation, you can get away with a warning, in the case of the second (if the situation has not changed after the previous one, the violation is considered systemic) - a fine from UAH 3,400 to UAH 6,800 . Please note that this norm is effective from January 16, 2021. Articles were also added to administrative offenses, which provide for a fine for violations. They will work from July 16, 2022. Other authorities will be able to control the enforcement of the law and the amount of the fine. At the moment, it is unclear how they will do all this. In my opinion, they will process complaints and selectively choose their "targets". How to make the site Ukrainian? Manually translate the information on the site yourself.