Ukraine to move forward with long-delayed customs reform, commission to be formed for new chief
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has tasked Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko with establishing a commission for selecting a new head of the State Customs Service, she announced on social media on August 1.
The overhaul of the customs service is a key requirement under Ukraine's commitments to international partners, including the International Monetary Fund.
"It is important to conduct this selection process transparently and professionally," Svyrydenko wrote.
"Our Customs must become a modern service-oriented institution that meets European Union standards and works with full integrity to support the state budget."
The formation of a new leadership structure is part of a broader customs reform law passed by Ukraine's parliament and signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in the fall of 2023. The reform has remained largely unimplemented for nearly a year.
The legislation mandates a transparent competition for the post of customs chief with the involvement of international organizations, as well as the re-certification of all customs staff within 18 months of the new head's appointment.
Safeguards for the political independence of the customs chief are also to be introduced as part of the law, stipulating that a dismissal can only occur based on audit results.
In June, then-Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the Finance Ministry was expected to submit a comprehensive reform plan by June 17, but little progress had been made until now.
Ukraine earlier failed to meet another IMF requirement by missing the July 31 deadline to appoint a new head of the Economic Security Bureau — an agency created to investigate financial crimes.
The government rejected the nominee Oleksandr Tsyvinsky selected by an independent panel. The decision was criticized by anti-corruption advocates and Western partners.
