The year 2024 was an important milestone for the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), as it was the year when the foundation was laid for the formation of a culture of integrity in lobbying in Ukraine.
In February and March, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Laws of Ukraine ‘On Lobbying’ and ‘On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences to Establish Liability for Violation of Legislation in the Field of Lobbying’, in the development and support of which the NACP was actively involved. The first legislative act regulates the procedure of interaction and defines transparent mechanisms of lobbyists' influence on government and local self-government bodies, and introduces control over their activities. The second law establishes liability for illegal lobbying and other violations of the law in this area.
‘Currently, the NACP's priority in developing the lobbying institution is to create the Transparency Register, an information and communication system that collects, stores, protects, records, displays, processes and provides information on lobbying entities and their reporting. Only by submitting information to the Register will a person acquire the status of a lobbying entity,' said NACP Head Viktor Pavlushchyk.
He noted that the work on the creation of the Transparency Register is ongoing and is supported by the Promoting Integrity in the Public Sector (‘Pro-Integrity’) project. Due to this cooperation, the development of the Registry does not require budgetary funds, but is funded by the assistance of our international partners. The technical documentation has already been approved, and the development of specialised software for the information and communication system is underway.
In 2024, the NACP also worked to create a regulatory framework for the launch of the lobbying institution in Ukraine. In particular, it developed and the Cabinet of Ministers adopted:
- Resolution No. 1175 ‘Some Issues of Establishment and Functioning of the Transparency Register’;
- Resolution No. 1128 ‘Rules of Ethical Behaviour of Lobbying Entities’.
In addition, the NACP has updated its procedure for issuing instructions, supplementing it with relevant rules on the procedure for issuing an instruction in case of violation of the lobbying legislation.
‘In 2025, our top priorities are to launch the Transparency Register and open the lobbying services market. A big challenge is to overcome stereotypes about lobbying and increase public confidence in this institution as a legitimate mechanism for influencing public policy. Expanding cooperation with stakeholders and engaging the public in the development, implementation and monitoring of anti-corruption policy remain equally important. The NACP is undoubtedly an open government agency,’ said Anastasiia Yezerska, Deputy Head of the NACP's specialised unit, the Department for Stakeholder Relations and Ensuring Adoption of Anti-Corruption Policy Acts.
She noted that in 2024, the NACP updated the procedure for holding public consultations on the National Agency's regulations and streamlined the National Agency's interaction with the Public Council under the National Agency.
As a reminder, the Verkhovna Rada has postponed the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Lobbying’ until no later than 1 September 2025, and the establishment and operation of the Transparency Register must be ensured within 14 months from the date of entry into force of the Law, i.e. in May 2025.
