In 2023, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted 3 laws in the field of corruption prevention, which were prepared by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy.
1. Law of Ukraine of 20 September 2023 No. 3384-IX "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Determining the Procedure for Submitting Declarations of Persons Authorised to Perform State or Local Government Functions under Martial Law".
This law restored the obligation for civil servants to submit declarations of persons authorised to perform state or local government functions and provided round-the-clock access to the Unified State Register of such declarations.
At the same time, in order to protect "sensitive" personal data during martial law, the Law limits free access to the declaration of servicemen of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, the State Security Office of Ukraine, intelligence agencies of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, as well as police officers of the special purpose police who are involved in hostilities during martial law, prisoners, subjects of declaration who are in temporarily occupied territories, including if the relevant declarations were submitted before the beginning of military service, appointment to positions.
The adoption of this Law ensured the fulfilment of the obligations undertaken by the Ukrainian side in accordance with the Letter of Intent of the Government of Ukraine and the National Bank of Ukraine to the International Monetary Fund dated 24.03.2023 and the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policy regarding the resumption of the declaration of public officials.
2. Law of Ukraine dated 8 December 2023 No. 3502-IX "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine" to Strengthen the Institutional Capacity of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine".
The law increases the maximum number of employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine by 300. At the same time, given the limited funding opportunities under the legal regime of martial law, it is envisaged to gradually increase the number of employees of the body: from 1 January 2024 – by 100 persons, including 10 civil servants; from 1 January 2025 – by 100 persons, including 20 civil servants; from 1 January 2026 – by 100 persons, including 20 civil servants.
3. Law of Ukraine dated 8 December 2023 No. 3503-IX "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption" to bring certain provisions in line with the conclusions of the European Commission on Ukraine".
The amendments removed from the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption" the provisions that limited the powers of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption to verify property (assets) that have already been verified and to find out the origin of property acquired by a person before appointment to the relevant civil service position.
It should be noted that the two penultimate laws take into account the key recommendations of the European Commission in the field of corruption prevention, which strengthened Ukraine's position and contributed to the European Council's decision to open negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.