European Demolition Association adds name to eight-point plan to rebuild Ukraine

With the Ukraine war in its second year and reconstruction costs spiralling, the EDA and trade associations across the construction industry have offered their recommendations for the future. (Photo: Alimyakubov - stock.adobe.com)

A Rapid Damage Needs Assessment by the World Bank in spring 2022 put the cost of reconstruction at just under US$97 billion.

But with the war now well into a second year, the latest estimate has risen to $138 billion – with the total bill, beyond immediate action, around $350 billion.

A joint document from a total of nine organisations has recommended the following:

• Rebuild better, quicker and more sustainably, without reducing quality
• Buildings and infrastructure should be procured, designed and rebuilt sustainably and in accordance with European standards
• The project preparation phase is of the utmost importance
• The Ukrainian authorities, EU (European Union) institutions and multinational development banks should use procurement methods that prevent corruption
• International contract standards should be applied to speed up negotiations and contract awards
• Invoice approval procedures should be simplified to reduce the time limits for payments and reduce costs
• The bank guarantees system should be simplified and harmonised for the same reason
• The private sector should be encouraged to make long-term investment, especially brownfield.

The EDA said: “This initiative, as well as many others that we participate in and put together, marks our commitment to the sector; and, most importantly, to the people it affects.”

The full text is available on the EDA website. Other associations contributing to the recommendations are: Architects’ Council of Europe; Committee for European Construction Equipment; Confederation of International Contractors’ Associations; European Federation of Engineeering Consultancy Associations; European International Contractors; European Rental Association; European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC); and Union Europäischer Gerüstbaubetriebe (Scaffolding in Europe).