Photo: Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine / Telegram
Ukraine’s parliament has approved in full the European integration draft law No. 11520 on public procurement after removing several controversial amendments criticized as corrupt risks.
The bill passed its second reading on May 27 with support from 245 lawmakers. According to the Verkhovna Rada, the legislation is intended to align Ukraine’s procurement system with EU standards, improve competition, and fulfill international obligations. MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak also said the law could unlock $3.5 billion in World Bank funding for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Economy Ministry said the new rules are designed to simplify procurement procedures and expand opportunities for Ukrainian businesses. Among the key changes are clearer rules for splitting large tenders into smaller lots, allowing smaller regional firms to compete, updated procedures for framework agreements, legal protections for subcontractors, and the option for companies to submit alternative tender proposals.
At the same time, the Anti-Corruption Action Center (CPC) stated that lawmakers removed several harmful provisions after public criticism. Among the deleted amendments were rules that would have allowed authorities to hide procurement contracts under the pretext of national security, select vague “best” offers instead of the most cost-effective bids, and potentially award multibillion contracts without competition through government decisions.
Anti-corruption advocates say the final version improves transparency and competition, although concerns remain over oversight mechanisms and certain localization policies.
