Ukraine has largely failed to implement a comprehensive package of rule-of-law reforms agreed upon in December to advance EU accession and secure funding.
Key facts
- •An EU assessment published in June found that only 15% of the Kachka-Kos reform plan had been implemented.
- •The plan requires reforms to the State Investigation Bureau, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, and the selection process for the prosecutor general.
- •Vitaly Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, stated that no crucial reforms related to the justice system or anti-corruption have been implemented.
- •The European Commission is currently assessing a recently passed law on judicial integrity declarations to determine if it complies with the Ukraine Facility lending program.
- •Taras Kachka, who co-endorsed the reform roadmap, left his position as deputy prime minister during a July government reshuffle.
Ukraine's government has deprioritized a series of rule-of-law reforms, known as the Kachka-Kos plan, which were intended to facilitate EU accession and secure financial support. Despite commitments made in December, experts and activists report that crucial changes to the justice system, law enforcement, and anti-corruption agencies remain unimplemented. An EU assessment from June indicated that only 15% of the plan had been fulfilled by that time.
Stalled Judicial and Anti-Corruption Reforms
The Kachka-Kos plan includes requirements for judicial integrity declarations and reforms to the Supreme Court. While parliament passed a law on integrity declarations in June, judicial watchdog Dejure argued the legislation makes it easier for judges to evade accountability. Additionally, the plan calls for auditing Supreme Court judges with international expert assistance, a process currently delayed by a six-month window granted to the Cabinet of Ministers to draft necessary legislation.
Law Enforcement and Oversight Challenges
Reforms to the State Investigation Bureau and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) remain unaddressed. Although President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to submit a reform bill for the State Investigation Bureau in January, he has not done so. Furthermore, the government has not extended the contracts of international experts for the High Qualification Commission, which expired in June 2025. Critics argue the administration is blocking these changes to maintain political control over law enforcement agencies.
Timeline
- DecemberUkraine agreed to a comprehensive package of rule-of-law reforms.
- JuneAn EU assessment reported that 15% of the reform plan had been implemented.
- JulyTaras Kachka left his position as deputy prime minister during a government reshuffle.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Kyiv Independent.
