Ukraine aims to integrate into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as early as next year. Despite the ongoing war, the country is implementing structural reforms, improving regulatory mechanisms in line with international standards, creating favorable conditions for investors, and harmonizing legislation with European norms.
This was emphasized by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a ministerial-level meeting of the OECD Council.
The head of the Ukrainian government noted that the OECD Program for Ukraine started two years ago, and during this period, 23 joint initiatives have been implemented, and Ukraine has joined eight legal instruments.
“We have achieved significant results in the fight against corruption. We have created and launched an anti-corruption infrastructure and practically implemented the State Anti-Corruption Program, which meets 80% of OECD criteria,” said Denys Shmyhal.
Additionally, he highlighted that the digitalization of state processes makes corruption impossible, and tools such as the Unified State Web Portal of Open Data, the Prozorro electronic procurement system, and the digital ecosystem for accountable recovery DREAM are already demonstrating positive effects.
“We are carrying out comprehensive deregulation. In particular, up to 2,000 regulatory instruments across various sectors of the economy have already been canceled, bureaucratic barriers to business operations removed, and a number of legal acts brought closer to European standards,” Denys Shmyhal stressed.
The Prime Minister also noted progress in implementing OECD standards in privatization and corporatization. In particular, last year’s open privatization auctions ensured an average asset value increase of 1.5 times, and proceeds from privatization exceeded planned figures by 2.5 times.
He also added that state enterprise triage has been conducted, companies designated for independent supervisory boards, and transparent procurement improved.
“As a result of our reforms, the experience of everyday corruption among Ukrainians has decreased over recent years from 70% to 15%. This is an indicator that shifts the country’s development paradigm from post-Soviet to European. We know that the changes happening today are the foundation for reconstruction, growth, and prosperity for many generations of Ukrainians,” emphasized Denys Shmyhal.
