Ukraine’s Public Procurement Reform Moves Forward: Highlights from the Second Steering Committee Meeting of the EU4PFM Procurement Component
The Second Steering Committee meeting of Component 2, “Public Procurement,” of the EU4PFM Programme convened in Kyiv to present Project’s achieved results, planned activities, and to assess the overall progress of public procurement reform in Ukraine.
The meeting highlighted ongoing EU4PFM efforts to align Ukraine’s procurement practices with EU standards.
The event brought together all Partner Institutions of Component 2, including representatives from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, the State Audit Service of Ukraine, as well as representatives from the EU Delegation, DG Near and the Central Project Management Agency.
Nadiya Bigun, Deputy Minister of Economy opened the discussion by expressing gratitude for the Project team’s support in advancing the draft procurement law, which has been approved in the first reading. “We are entering a new era of Public Procurement in Ukraine, following the recent approval of the draft law by the Verkhovna Rada in its first reading. This achievement reflects the substantial work we have accomplished together. It is essential that we continue to coordinate our efforts with all stakeholders and incorporate the European Commission’s feedback into the draft law before the second reading. The support of the Project will be crucial in this process”, Ms Bigun noted.
Henrik Huitfeldt, Head of the Sector for Economic and Social Policies of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, emphasised the critical importance of aligning Ukrainian law with EU directives: “It has been an intensive period since April, and we are moving to a different phase that encompasses not only the legislative process in Ukraine but also the discussions with the European Commission regarding the alignment with the EU acquis and the EU accession process. In July, we held the first screening meeting on Public Procurement, which led to numerous intensive discussions afterward. Currently, the Verkhovna Rada is considering two significant draft laws – on Public Procurement and on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and concessions. I encourage the Ministry to leverage the support of the Project, as both timing of adoption and the quality of these legal acts are vital. This is a unique opportunity to use this window to advance Ukraine’s alignment with EU directives in this area”, Mr Huitfeldt added.
During the meeting Eriks Mezalis, Team Leader of the Procurement Component, along with Team experts, presented an overview of the implementation status of EU4PFM Component 2 activities. Key achievements included assistance to Partner Institutions in preparation for explanatory meetings within the screening process, expert analysis of legislation in light of the EU acquis, support for activities related to the WTO GPA Committee, an organised study visit to Riga, a completed training needs assessment for public procurement stakeholders, and three regional procurement events held.
The meeting highlighted the significance of effective negotiation processes and the need for collaboration among stakeholders to improve procurement practices. In addition to discussing public procurement reform, the meeting addressed ongoing cooperation with the EU to support Ukrainian SMEs in exporting to the EU market and vice versa.
The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for January 2025 to further review progress and outline future actions.
