EU–Ukraine partnership in action: EU4PFM Phase III launched to support Ukraine’s EU accession path
Opening the event, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová underlined the importance of public finance management reforms for Ukraine’s EU accession process and long-term resilience.
“Despite wartime realities, Ukraine continues to advance deep and complex public finance reforms at a remarkable pace. EU4PFM Programme has been a key instrument in this journey, helping to strengthen institutions that are essential not only for EU accession, but also for the country’s resilience and recovery. What we see today is a reform process that is steadily embedding European standards into the core of Ukraine’s governance system. The European Union remains fully committed to supporting this effort as Ukraine moves forward on its European path.”
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka highlighted the EU4PFM Programme’s contribution to Ukraine’s accession agenda.
“As Ukraine approaches the opening of the first negotiation Cluster, we are entering a new phase of the accession process. This milestone reflects the reforms Ukraine continues to deliver, even under the conditions of a full-scale war. Strong public institutions, transparent management of public resources, effective customs and tax administration, and robust accountability mechanisms are all essential foundations of EU membership. The achievements delivered with the support of the EU4PFM Programme demonstrate the value of effective partnership in advancing reforms and preparing Ukraine for its future in the European Union,” said Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka.
“Today, international technical cooperation is, above all, about trust and shared responsibility. We highly value the EU’s financial support, which serves as a cornerstone of our resilience. This year alone, under the Ukraine Support Loan, we expect to receive €45 billion, of which €31,8 billion will be allocated to strengthening our defence capabilities and €13,2 billion to budget support.
At the same time, Ukraine is delivering on its commitments. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for four key negotiation chapters in the EU accession process, and for some of them we have already received the highest assessments in the Enlargement Report. The launch of Phase III of the EU4PFM Programme for 2026–2029, together with the synergy created through cooperation with our partners from CPMA, Expertise France, and Solidarity Fund PL, will further advance the digital transformation of the customs and tax administrations, improve liquidity management, and bring our legislation closer to EU and FATF standards.”
Since its launch in 2018, EU4PFM has become one of the European Union’s flagship programmes supporting public finance management reforms in Ukraine. Across its previous phases, the Programme has supported the modernisation of key public finance institutions, strengthened governance and accountability systems, and advanced Ukraine’s gradual alignment with EU standards.
Among its most significant achievements are support for Ukraine’s accession to the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure and implementation of the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), introduction of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, development of a new Customs Code aligned with the Union Customs Code, implementation of international standards for automatic exchange of tax information, modernisation of tax and customs IT systems, development of digital budget planning tools, strengthening of public internal financial control, and support for public procurement and external audit reforms.
A notable element of Phase III is the expansion of the Programme’s implementation partnership. The EU4PFM family is growing with the inclusion of new implementing partners — Expertise France and Solidarity Fund PL — joining the long-standing consortium led by the Central Project Management Agency.
This strengthened partnership reflects the European Union’s coordinated approach to supporting Ukraine, combining diverse Member State expertise to accelerate reforms and enhance institutional capacity.
The new phase has a budget of EUR 25 million and will run until January 2029. It will continue supporting reforms across five key areas: budget planning and public internal financial control, public procurement, revenue collection, horizontal governance functions, external audit and parliamentary oversight.
Phase III will place particular emphasis on progressive alignment with the EU acquis, strengthening institutional capacities, and developing digital and interoperable systems required for Ukraine’s future participation in the EU Single Market. It will also continue supporting reforms that enhance transparency, accountability, service delivery, and the efficient use of public resources.
EU4PFM remains a main pillar of EU–Ukraine cooperation and a practical instrument supporting Ukraine’s accession trajectory.
About EU4PFM
The EU Public Finance Management Support Programme for Ukraine (EU4PFM) is co-funded by the European Union and supports the strengthening of Ukraine’s public finance management system to improve public service delivery, enhance transparency, strengthen the business environment, and increase national resilience. Since 2018, the Programme has supported reforms in customs, taxation, public procurement, budget planning, public internal financial control and external audit, contributing to Ukraine’s alignment with EU standards and international best practices.