Over the past 10–15 years, Ukraine's approach to preventing and combating corruption has undergone a significant transformation – moving from the creation of standalone anti-corruption institutions to the formation of a comprehensive system. This system encompasses legislative improvement, digitalisation, the development of financial control, the reinforcement of integrity through education, and ensuring the inevitability of punishment. This was emphasised by Serhii Hupiak, Deputy Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), during the “Integrity Matters” conference.
He stressed that today, anti-corruption requirements are a cross-cutting element of Ukraine's European integration processes. This refers to anti-corruption mainstreaming – an approach where the principles of corruption prevention are integrated into all EU negotiation clusters, and consequently, into sectoral policies and reforms.
In this context, a key role is played by the Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2026–2030, which forms a unified framework for the further development of the corruption prevention system. The document was developed taking into account European integration requirements and Ukraine's obligations to align with the standards of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with the broad engagement of the public, expert community, international partners, and public authorities.
The Strategy is based on a conceptual approach that combines two interconnected pillars: increasing the effectiveness of the anti-corruption system and minimising corruption risks in the most vulnerable and strategically important sectors.
It envisions a transition to a preventive model of anti-corruption policy – moving from responding to violations to the systematic identification and management of corruption risks.
“Important elements of this model include the NACP's digital tools, analytical approaches to risk assessment, as well as educational and awareness programs aimed at building a culture of integrity, in particular the 'Study NACP' platform and other educational products for the public and private sectors developed by the Agency,” noted Serhii Hupiak.
Serhii Hupiak paid special attention to the development of compliance as a component of the integrity system. According to him, the compliance approach is not limited to the formal implementation of procedures. It involves the formation of an internal risk management system within organisations, complete with clear mechanisms to prevent conflicts of interest, internal channels for reporting potential violations, and proper procedures for their review.
“The implementation of compliance systems is a practical risk management tool that allows organisations to identify vulnerabilities in advance, prevent violations, and ensure the transparency of governance processes,” emphasised Serhii Hupiak.
He also stressed that the development of integrity and compliance is an integral part of Ukraine's European integration course and its alignment with OECD standards, as it forms the foundation of a resilient, predictable, and transparent governance system.
The event was organised by the Ukrainian Network of Integrity and Compliance (UNIC) within the framework of the project “Public Oversight and Integrity for Ukraine’s Resilience and Recovery,” implemented by Transparency International Ukraine with the financial support of Norway, and the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (EUACI). Representatives of public authorities, the business community, international organisations, civil society, and the expert community attended it.
