The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted Draft Law No. 12093, which exempts military personnel from administrative liability for failing to update their data on time. Defenders who were unable to make changes to their records due to military service will no longer be subject to fines.
The draft law, developed with the participation of BRDO, introduces changes to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses regarding the voluntary payment of fines.
Conscripted citizens who fail to update their data on time can now pay fines online via the Rezerv+ app—without bureaucracy or queues at the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs).
How does the mechanism work?
A statement acknowledging the offense is submitted in the Rezerv+ app.
The data is automatically transferred to the TRC.
After processing, the fine notice appears in the app.
The fine can be paid directly in Rezerv+.
What should you know?
A 20-day grace period applies. During this time, the fine can be paid with a 50% discount.
After the grace period, the full acceptable amount can be paid within another 20 days. If not paid voluntarily, the notice is sent to the enforcement service, and the fine amount is doubled.
As with all Rezerv+ services, paying fines through the app is voluntary. Citizens may choose the payment method that suits them best.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), as a part of its advocacy for the decriminalisation of pornography in Ukraine, has launched the 301 Monitor Telegram channel to track court rulings on pornography using artificial intelligence.
The channel automatically monitors new verdicts under Article 301 of the CCU and publishes short summaries generated by AI. If other articles of the CCU, along with Article 301, are involved in the same case, this information is also published in the channel.
“New pornography-related verdicts appear regularly, most of them going unnoticed. We created ‘301 Monitor’ so that people can see not only the statistics on prosecutions for pornography but also specific cases—some of which are outright absurd. We have integrated AI technology into this channel and will continue developing new AI-driven tools for public policy,” said Ihor Samokhodskyi, ITC Sector Head at BRDO.
By providing regularly updated information on criminal prosecutions for adult content creation, the initiative aims to draw public attention to the issue. Even in the fourth year of the war, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and courts continue spending resources on prosecuting people for intimate photos and videos instead of focusing their efforts on real security threats.
“At Opendatabot, we strive for open data to reflect the real and up-to-date picture. It’s important to remember that not all Article 301 verdicts are linked solely to webcam platforms or OnlyFans. That’s why decriminalization must be approached thoughtfully and professionally,” added Oleksii Ivankin, CEO of Opendatabot, a Ukrainian company providing public access to government data.
The AI-generated summaries of verdicts generally reflect the original texts but may contain inaccuracies. Therefore, journalists, activists, and anyone interested in the issue should review the full court ruling for accurate information.
301 Monitor sources of its data from the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, published as open data by the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine. BRDO expresses its gratitude to Babusia, Opendatabot’s legal search tool, for facilitating access to structured court decision data.
BRDO, together with a coalition of civil society organizations, opposes the criminal prosecution of Ukrainians for the production and distribution of adult content. In November 2024, draft law No. 12191 on the decriminalization of pornography was submitted to the Ukrainian parliament.
At the same time, BRDO supports maintaining liability for the production of child pornography, distribution of adult content to minors, public display of pornography, human trafficking, and distribution of adult content without consent.
As part of the Pornobarometer project, Ukrainian courts received 1,104 indictments related to pornography in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 75% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
According to BRDO’s forecast, the decriminalization of pornography could generate UAH 509 million in tax revenue for the state budget. Achieving this would require the adoption of draft law No. 12191 and coordinated efforts between the State Tax Service and the Economic Security Bureau.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) has analyzed online services created based on open state data and found that up to 16 million people use these resources every month. The analysis of the number of open data users was conducted using the SimilarWeb platform between November 2024 and January 2025.
As part of the open data policy, government agencies publish large amounts of machine-readable data for free access, and businesses and civil society organizations transform them into useful services for citizens. After analyzing the existing online services in Ukraine, BRDO experts have conditionally divided them into two main groups:
According to the results of the BRDO’s analysis, during the three months from November 2024 to January 2025, 3.3 to 5.5 million people used services based on open data every month, and 9.1 to 10.7 million users used services that use open data. The total number of users of online services that use open data in one way or another ranged from 11.6 to 16.2 million people per month, which is 39-55% of all Ukrainian Internet users.
“I myself am a user of services that use data published by the state. They help me both in my work – in analyzing markets and policy effectiveness – and in my personal life – when I need to check a car, company, etc. The more data the government publishes, the better decisions people and businesses will be able to make,” commented Ihor Samokhodskyi, Head of ICT Sector at the BRDO.
The top five most popular categories of services created on the basis or using open data over the past three months were led by the following:
The leading services in the Medicine category are Tabletki.ua, a platform for searching and booking medicines in pharmacies, Compendium, a drug reference book, and Liky Kontrol, a resource for checking medicines. These services use the State Register of Medicines to provide information about medicines and search for analogs that are sold under other names.
Popular services in the Business category include YouControl, an online analytical system for business analytics, market research, and counterparty verification, Opendatabot, a public data search service, and Clarity Project, a platform for accessing procurement and corporate information. All of them integrate many state registers to create profiles of legal entities.
This year, for the first time, the analysis included Auto.Ria, a vehicle marketplace that leads in the Cars category. As an additional service, the service offers car checks in the databases of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The list of popular services in each category is available here (only in Ukrainian).
The Deduplicated Audience indicator of the SimilarWeb platform was used to estimate the number of users of services based on open data. The services were categorized by topic, and to consider the overlap of audiences within each category, the number of users was determined as follows: the lower bound of the estimate corresponded to the largest indicator in the category, and the upper bound corresponded to the sum of all indicators in the category. The total upper and lower estimates of the number of users for Ukraine were calculated by summing the respective values for all categories. It is important to note that the analysis had limitations, including the lack of data on users of mobile applications and chatbots.
Update from March 26, 2025:
The methodology for estimating the number of open data users is based on SimilarWeb’s algorithms, which analyse traffic using machine learning and indirect indicators. If website owners have not integrated their analytics systems with the platform, data is calculated using extrapolative models, which may affect the accuracy of the analysis. Additionally, SimilarWeb does not account for user activity exclusively through APIs, widgets, or mobile applications without a web version. This may lead to an underestimation of the audience for certain platforms. At the same time, using SimilarWeb provides a generalized, representative snapshot of the popularity of services built on open data and helps assess overall usage trends.
For instance, according to the public organization Save Dnipro, the SaveEcoBot system’s website was visited by over 368,000 users between November 2024 and January 2025 (79% from mobile devices, 21% from desktops). Meanwhile, SaveEcoBot’s air quality widgets, embedded on third-party websites, were viewed by more than 496,000 users.
These figures differ from those presented in BRDO’s analysis due to the specific methodology.
24.9% of sole proprietors and legal entities said that government officials abuse regulatory norms. These are the findings of the BRDO’s research on regulatory pressure on business, which involved 807 business representatives from all over Ukraine.
Who participated in the research?
The most active participants in the survey were representatives of enterprises from the city of Kyiv (11.1%), Dnipro (8.3%), Kyiv (7.2%), Lviv (6.1%) and Kharkiv (6.1%) regions. Legal entities dominate among the respondents (69.5%), with the share of sole proprietorships at 30.5%.
What are the biggest obstacles for business in Ukraine?
Among the problems that respondents consider to be the biggest obstacles to running a business, military aggression by the Russian Federation dominates (60.2% of respondents). In addition, flawed legislation in the areas where businesses are operating is among the top issues (56.3%), as well as the large number of permits required to do business (34.6%).
Which government agencies create the most obstacles for business?
The results of the research show that out of the 27 government agencies proposed in the poll, the most obstacles to doing business are created by the government agencies that are considered to be the most obstructive:
2.8% of participants reported that local authorities create obstacles for business. It is significant that local authorities have a more negative impact on the activities of sole proprietorships (4.2%) than on the business of legal entities (2.9%).
At the same time, 7% of respondents said that they had not encountered any obstacles in their interaction with government agencies.
What does the BRDO have to do with it?
BRDO has been involved in deregulation initiatives for almost 10 years. Since 2023, the BRDO team has been participating in the work of the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Deregulation to review the areas of state supervision and control. The IWG’s activities are aimed at eliminating outdated and irrelevant state regulatory instruments to improve the business climate in Ukraine. This applies to agriculture, urban planning, energy, healthcare, environmental protection, consumer protection and many other sectors. Experts prepare analytics, help prioritize and implement IWG decisions, including the development of regulations.
Overall, over the two years of work, the IWG has reviewed 1,323 regulatory instruments, of which 141 have already been canceled. The implementation of the IWG’s decisions to cancel outdated regulatory instruments will save Ukrainian entrepreneurs 21.3 billion hryvnias, hundreds of thousands of hours of working time, and, as a result, create new workplaces.
One of the results of the work was the draft law №5837 “On the Basic Principles of State Supervision (Control)”, which the Parliament of Ukraine supported in the first reading in October 2024. The draft law simplifies cooperation between business and the state and provides fewer inspections for insured entrepreneurs, an audit as a preventive measure, business involvement in public councils in controlling authorities, digitalisation of processes, and liability of heads of regulatory authorities for violations of procedures.
The draft law is currently awaiting a second reading. We urge Members of Parliament to adopt the document as soon as possible.
The study was conducted by the BRDO team together with the Center for Innovation Development at the request of the Ministry of Economy within the EU4Business: SME Policies and Institutions Support (SMEPIS) project, implemented by Ecorys in a consortium with GIZ, BRDO and Civitta with the financial support of the European Union.
For more information about the research, visit the following link (in Ukrainian): https://brdo.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Deregulation-survey-SMEPIS-1.pdf
A report on the destruction of enemy targets synchronized with the DELTA combat system has been launched in the Army+ app. The first 100 units are already using this digital tool to keep an accurate and up-to-date record of battle results.
How does the report mechanism work?
What is changing for the Defence Forces?
Digital reports provide accurate, timely, and secure records of enemy targets. They significantly speed up the process of processing information and obtaining the necessary data for strategic decision-making.
How is data privacy ensured?
The DELTA system has been tested for compliance with NATO standards for information security. All data is stored on secure data bases and deleted from Army+ after the reports are signed, guaranteeing the highest level of confidentiality.
What is the BRDO’s role in it?
BRDO provided expert support to the Ministry of Defence in developing a digital reporting model.
What’s next?
In the future, digital damage reports will be extended to all units of the Ukrainian Defence Forces. Paper reports are still in use, but based on the digital damage report, it is planned to introduce the possibility of submitting a report for a reward for destroyed equipment in Army+.
Digitalization of reporting is not only a technological upgrade, but also a key element of effective combat management, where the efficiency and reliability of data directly affect the success of operations.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is expanding digital opportunities for persons liable for military service. From now on, through the Reserve+ mobile application, it is possible to submit a request and receive an electronic referral to the Military Medical Commission (MMC) without the need to personally visit the territorial recruitment centers (TCC).
The service was implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and with the support of the BRDO.
How to get an electronic referral?
Soon, the opportunity to receive an electronic referral will also be available to those who have been served with a paper military draft to the MCC.
“We give persons liable for military service the opportunity not to visit the territorial recruitment centers or collect paperwork. If all the data is already in the system, it should work for people. This is the first stage of a large-scale reform of Military Medical Commissions (MMCs) that we will implement in 2025. Our goal is to create a convenient and transparent MMC system, ensuring that this process functions clearly, fairly, and in the best interests of those subject to military service,” said Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for Digitalization.
To launch this function, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine approved amendments to the Regulation on Military Medical Examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and initiated changes to the Procedure for the Conscription of Citizens for Military Service during Mobilization in a Special Period, which were supported by the Government.
This is the first step in a large-scale reform of Military Medical Commissions (MMCs), which not only digitizes processes but also makes them clear, fast, and convenient for persons liable for military service.
The next stage of the reform involves the integration of the information systems of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Health. In the fall of 2025, persons liable for military service will be able to choose a medical institution to undergo a military medical commission through Reserve+.
On January 28, Kyiv Aviation Institute presented the concept of a science park that will become a center for developing solutions in the areas of deep tech, civilian UAVs, cybersecurity, defense tech, artificial intelligence, and others. Oleksii Dorogan, CEO at Better Regulation Delivery Office, joined the event to talk about the importance of changes to legislation that will help make science parks effective.
Science parks have a potential to attract more than UAH 500 million in investments and create 1,500 workplaces. However, restrictive regulations, excessive tax pressure, and the outflow of intellectual capital creates obstacles to this. To change the situation, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has developed the Science.City concept, an initiative under WINWIN 2030 – Ukrainian Global Innovation Strategy.
The goal of the Science.City project is to unite the efforts of science, business, and the state, because innovation is the key to economic growth and Ukraine’s competitiveness in the international arena. Currently, only 5 out of 42 science parks are actively operating. To stimulate the work of science parks in Ukraine, it is necessary to change the current legislation and introduce tax incentives.
“The Science City concept is the result of the BRDO’s work with stakeholders. Our team sent inquiries to the State Tax Service of Ukraine, the State Treasury Service of Ukraine, and the State Customs Service of Ukraine, analyzed statistics provided by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the register of science parks. After careful research, we found that science parks are not becoming a link between science and business for various reasons. To solve this problem, we have developed a draft law on comprehensive legislative changes together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. These changes will increase the economic freedom and efficiency of science parks, as well as reduce many risks. These deregulatory steps are necessary to build a model where business and science actively cooperate rather than act separately from each other,” said Oleksii Dorogan during the panel discussion.
On January 15, 2025, the “Science City. Connecting Business and Science” event was held to the present Science.City project and publicly discuss the proposed legislative changes. Consultations with government officials, science parks, and businesses to take into account all proposals for improving the regulations are in progress.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) is launching a series of articles analyzing court rulings on the creation and distribution of pornographic materials. This initiative supports Draft Law No.12191, which aims to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine. The first article examines a verdict by a district court in Odesa region, where a woman was convicted for publishing adult content on Telegram. The court referred to an international convention in 1923 that Ukraine had never signed.
In the reasoning section of the verdict, the court stated that the defendant had created pornographic photo and video materials and posted them on a messaging platform for money:
“According to Part 1, Article 1 of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Circulation of and Traffic in Obscene Publications of September 12, 1923, the production or possession of works (…) or other obscene objects for sale or distribution, or their public display, is subject to punishment (…)”
“PERSON_4 (…), being aware of the mentioned regulatory acts (…), created pornographic photo and video content for subsequent sale, which she produced herself by photographing and filming her genitalia in a vulgar, naturalistic, cynical, and obscene manner, capturing close-up images of her exposed genitals (…) on her personal Telegram channel ‘INFORMATION_2,’ access to which was provided for a fee.”
Despite this, Ukraine is not listed among the signatories of the convention on the UN depositary page. The country has never joined it nor confirmed its validity through succession. The UN Secretariat has also confirmed this, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informed the Ministry of Internal Affairs back in 2023.
Additionally, the court cited the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Public Morality,” which had been repealed more than a year before the alleged offense, as well as the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, which does not regulate content distribution via messaging platforms and social networks.
“Ukrainian courts issue sentences based on legal norms that are not in effect in Ukraine. Over the past three years, there have been about 40 pornography-related verdicts with identical charges. Some judges do not even attempt to justify why they are convicting individuals. They are prosecuting actions that do not pose a public danger. This is a very troubling sign for the judiciary and law enforcement systems,” commented Ihor Samokhodskyi, IT&Telecom Sector Head at BRDO.
From 2022 to 2024, there have been 39 cases where court rulings referenced the century-old convention banning pornography, which is not legally binding in Ukraine. Moreover, during discussions on the draft of Ukraine’s new Criminal Code, scholars also referred to this document.
In the third year of the war, law enforcement authorities continue to spend resources prosecuting Ukrainians for intimate photos and videos instead of directing them toward addressing real threats. The new pornography-related cases opened by the National Police further confirm this trend.
BRDO, along with several civil society organizations, opposes the criminal prosecution of Ukrainians for producing and distributing pornographic materials. In November 2024, Draft Law No.12191 on the decriminalization of pornography was registered in Parliament. At the same time, BRDO supports maintaining liability for child pornography production, distribution of materials to minors, public display of pornography, human trafficking, or dissemination of adult content without consent.
As part of the Pornobarometer project, Ukrainian courts received 1,104 indictments related to pornography in the first nine months of 2024—75% more than in the same period of 2023.
According to BRDO’s forecast, decriminalizing pornography could generate UAH 509 million in tax revenue. To achieve this, Parliament needs to pass Draft Law No.12191 and ensure cooperation between the State Tax Service and the Bureau of Economic Security.
On January 15, 2025, the event “Science City Ecosystem. Connecting Business and Science” was held in Kyiv to present the Science.City, one of the pivotal initiatives under WININ 2030 – Ukrainian Global Innovation Strategy. With over 100 participants, including representatives of the government sector, the scientific community, innovative businesses, and international organizations, the event spotlighted the transformative potential of science parks to drive Ukraine’s economic and technological advancement.
The Science.City initiative aims to merge the strengths of science, business, and government into a cohesive network of modern science parks. These parks will serve as incubators for innovations, launching startups, and attracting global investment.
“Innovations are the core of the country’s economic growth and competitiveness. But without proper education, their development is impossible. That is why the transformation of the education system is one of our key priorities, and the creation of effective science parks is an indispensable part of this process. Currently in Ukraine there are 37 registered science parks, only 5 of which are holding innovative activities. That is why we are working on the Science City project, which will become a catalyst for the development of science parks, create conditions for the interaction of science, education and business, ensuring transparency and support at every stage of development,” commented Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Development – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
Science parks, anchored in educational and research institutions, hold immense potential as catalysts for innovation and the transformation of scientific ideas into tangible production outcomes. However, their potential remains largely untapped due to several critical barriers: high fiscal pressure, cumbersome and prolonged procurement processes, restrictive regulations, and limited engagement with private capital.
“A science park is not just a tool for developing innovations in higher education and research institutions, but a ground for the future, in which Ukrainian science is competitive on the global scale. With this reform, we will not only reduce the outflow of intellectual capital from science to the private sector, but also establish a convenient legal mechanism for effective interaction between science and business. The proposed changes pave the way for digitalization and transparency in the area of science, turning science parks into drivers of economic growth in Ukraine,” said Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
To address these barriers, the event presented draft legislature changes developed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in cooperation with the BRDO and supported by the Digital Transformation Activity financed by USAID and UK Dev. The proposed changes aim to create a more supportive environment for innovation by reducing tax burdens, simplifying registration procedures, introducing equipment import incentives, and integrating science parks into the Diia.City legal framework.
“Science parks act as catalysts for innovation, promoting the introduction of the most recent technologies, products and services created in universities and research institutes. Legislative changes will help significantly intensify their activities, providing conditions for effective technology transfer and commercialization of research results. In the context of modern challenges such as globalization, digital transformation and war, the development of science parks is a strategic step to ensure sustainable development and competitiveness of Ukraine, creating a national economy of innovative type,” said Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Special attention was dedicated to tax incentives that will help attract private capital to research and development. These initiatives will help to reduce the research costs and accelerate the introduction of new technologies to the market.
“Support for science parks contributes to the development of high-tech sectors of the economy, job creation in knowledge-intensive industries, and investment attraction. All these goals reflect the concept behind Diia.City. That is why we see the extension of the Diia.City space to cover science parks as an important step towards strengthening Ukraine’s economy in the face of global competition,” said Oleksandr Borniakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
International partners underscored the critical role of the project for Ukraine’s economic recovery. They highlighted that Science.City holds immense potential to establish Ukraine as a regional innovation leader, drawing substantial investments and generating employment opportunities in cutting-edge, high-tech industries.
“By broadening partnerships and streamlining processes, Science.City will attract private sector investments, establish regional innovation centers, and increase scientists’ incomes—helping Ukraine achieve the ambitious goals of its Win-Win 2030 strategy”, said USAID Mission Director in Ukraine Julie A. Koenen.
“Science.City can be vital in integrating Ukraine into the global high-tech market and engaging international partners in joint projects. In the face of the ongoing Russia’s full-scale invasion and war against Ukraine, the country’s economy requires innovative approaches to bolster development and resilience. Science parks have the potential to play a significant role in achieving this goal, by fostering innovation, creating synergies across various fields, and supporting the country’s recovery and growth”, said Stefan Kossoff, Director of Development Programmes at the British Embassy in Ukraine.
By creating favorable conditions for the institutionalization and functioning of science parks, the adoption of the draft law is expected to comprehensively reform the higher education and research institutions’ innovation activities and initiatives. This will increase the number of active science parks from 5 to 15 in three years, attract UAH 500 million in investments and increase the revenues of higher education and research institutions to UAH 750 million annually. The implementation of these initiatives will also create more than 1500 new jobs in the science and technology sector.
“Science parks are not just territories, but powerful innovation ecosystems where science, education, and business unite to create the future. They are the driving force for economic growth, as the new technologies and business models are being born here. In the science park based on Lviv Polytechnic National University we have successfully implemented a model of technology transfer not only from university to business, but also from business to university. It is done with the aim of transforming education in a way that the trained specialists would be capable not only to generate ideas, but also to implement them, create new research groups and schools. Only through tight cooperation between universities, research institutions and businesses will we be able to build an innovative economy competitive at a global scale”, said Nazar Podolchak, Director of science park at Lviv Polytechnic National University.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and made possible by the Digital Transformation Activity with support from USAID and UK Dev. BRDO is the partner for this event.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) has estimated that decriminalising pornography could bring UAH 509 million in taxes to the budget. These funds are enough to purchase 24,000 FPV drones with autonomous guidance or to support the work of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine for a year. The BRDO’s forecast is based on data from open sources and adult content market participants.
According to BRDO estimates, about 5,000 people in Ukraine work in webcam modelling and more than 3,500 sell content on OnlyFans. Their average monthly income is about $1,650, including beginners and part-time workers. This includes beginners and part-time workers. The amount of income also includes the commission of the studio where the model works. The BRDO assumes that decriminalisation of pornography will cover 100% of the webcam modelling market and 50% of OnlyFans authors.
Creators of intimate content in Ukraine face criminal prosecution under Article 301 of the Criminal Code. At the same time, authors of pornographic materials are required to pay taxes for their activities. Decriminalisation of pornography and regulation of taxation in this area could bring UAH 509 million in additional taxes to the budget. To do this, it is necessary to adopt draft law No. 12191 and ensure cooperation between the State Tax Service and the Bureau of Economic Security.
According to BRDO estimates, UAH 509 million of taxes from the decriminalisation of pornography can be used for the following initiatives:
“Every year, Ukraine’s budget loses up to half a billion hryvnias. These funds are important for the martial law economy. But decriminalising porn is not just about taxes. It is also about the lives of people who are persecuted for adult content. Adoption of the draft law No. 12191 can solve several issues at once”, commented Ihor Samokhodskyi, Head of the IT and Telecom sector of the BRDO.
The BRDO’s forecast is based on data from open sources and market participants. Due to a number of legal, ethical and security restrictions, the adult content market in Ukraine is not transparent. The BRDO chose conservative scenarios to estimate the sector. The calculation of the amount of taxes from decriminalising porn also assumes that industry models operate under a simplified taxation system (payment of the Single Tax, Unified Social Contribution and military fee) and taxation of the studios from which they operate.
The BRDO and a coalition of more than 25 NGOs oppose criminal prosecution for the production, distribution and sale of pornographic materials. In early November 2024, draft law No. 12191 was registered in parliament, which is an updated version of the previous draft law No. 9623.
At the same time, the BRDO is strongly opposed to the decriminalisation of child porn, distribution of porn among minors, public display of pornography, human trafficking, distribution of pornographic content without consent, etc.
As part of the initiative to decriminalise pornography in Ukraine, the BRDO launched the “Pornbarometer” project, a series of analytical materials presenting data on the prosecution of Ukrainians for the creation, distribution, and sale of pornographic materials under Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (CCU). Thus, in 9 months of 2024, the courts received 1104 indictments, which is 75% more than in the same period in 2023.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and with the assistance of the Digital Transformation Activity with support from USAID and UK Dev, organised an online discussion of challenges and opportunities for the open data sector in connection with the draft law 8153 “On Personal Data Protection”, which was adopted in the first reading. The event took place on 11 December 2024 and brought together more than 40 participants – government officials, civil society activists, analysts and open data experts.
Today, the protection of personal data is of particular relevance due to the growth of cyber threats and the need to ensure confidentiality. This issue is particularly acute in the interaction with government agencies that hold large amounts of information, as even public data often contains elements of personal data.
Personal data is any information that directly or indirectly identifies an individual. This may include traditional identifiers such as name, address or telephone number; digital data: IP addresses, cookies; geolocation data, as well as data reflecting physiological, psychological, economic, cultural or social characteristics. Automated data processing, including AI algorithms, increases the risk of privacy violations. That is why it is necessary to implement technical and legal protection measures.
Yanina Lyubyva, open data expert at the Ministry of Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation, emphasised that open data and personal data protection should coexist, not conflict. Openness of information is the basis of transparency and accountability of the state, stimulates public control and development of innovations. At the same time, personal data needs to be protected, especially in the context of martial law, when the balance between openness and security becomes critical. Draft Law 8153 aims to establish clear rules for the use of data to prevent the leakage of sensitive information, which will support the development of open data as a driver of Ukraine’s digital transformation.
Taras Tarasenko, MP, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights, noted that the draft law “On Personal Data Protection” is a complex legal document and requires wider communication. The society needs a big education campaign to make people understand what personal data is, how it can be used and protected. Our main idea is to ensure consistency between access to public information and personal data protection. To do this, it is necessary to adopt a draft law on the National Commission, a regulator that will ensure communication and perform functions in accordance with European standards.
Yulia Derkachenko, Representative of the Commissioner for Information Rights, added that ensuring the right to access information, in particular in the form of open data, and protecting personal data are critical. The level of data protection in Ukraine should be in line with EU standards. The results of more than fifty bilateral meetings with the European Commission have identified the need to adopt legislation on personal data protection in full compliance with European standards. The Office of the Commissioner is ready to become an educational platform in the field of personal data protection and access to public information, including open data.
Liliia Oleksiuk, coordinator of the working group on draft law 8153, noted that Ukrainians need to understand how their personal data is used and what rights they have in this area. The processing of personal data requires clear legal grounds. For example, health data, genetic or biometric data are processed under special conditions and cannot be made publicly available. Now, more than ever, it is important to find a compromise between providing access to open data and protecting privacy. And this involves not only legislative changes but also a broad information campaign for business, government and society.
Representatives of the public sector (NGO PrivacyHub) and open data experts (YouControl) also joined the discussion of challenges and opportunities in the open data sphere. They spoke about the interconnectedness of both areas, their parallel development, practices of protection and violation of personal data processing in European countries, and the problems of the sphere in Ukraine. The open data experts highlighted the challenges that stakeholders face in view of the rather strict regulation in the field of personal data protection.
In general, all participants of the online discussion agreed that finding a compromise between data openness and privacy protection is a strategically important step for the development of the open data sphere. Both the transparency of public administration and the security of personal data of each citizen depend on it. To successfully solve this problem, coordinated work of all stakeholders in this area and consideration of the best international practices are required.
This is just one of the stages of discussion of the draft law 8153, which is being prepared for consideration in the second reading. The BRDO invites all open data experts and stakeholders to join the discussion and express their opinions and suggestions on the topic of personal data and draft law 8153 within the Data+ communication platform. Building a quality dialogue and trust will contribute to the harmonious development of both critical areas.
You can watch the full video of the event on YouTube here.
The Data+ communication platform was developed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and by the Digital Transformation Activity with support from USAID and UK Dev. Implementing partner is the BRDO.
“The creation of the GovTech Alliance of Ukraine is a strategically important step that will not only facilitate effective cooperation between the state and business, but also create opportunities for attracting international contracts with other governments. This strengthens Ukraine’s position as a digital leader on a global scale. Together with Ukrainian businesses, we will promote our govtech solutions to the world, because successful business is the foundation of a strong economy. I congratulate the GTA UA team on this achievement and wish them to increase the number of alliance members. Let’s move forward, building cooperation!” said Valeria Ionan, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration.
The Parliament of Ukraine has adopted draft law No. 12066 on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Military Duty and Military Service”, which provides for the launch of the Unified State Register of Servicemen. This registry will become the basis for creating a modern digital ecosystem of services for the military and will help improve accounting processes.
The draft law was developed with the participation of experts from the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO).
“The register will not only make the data about our defenders better (more up-to-date). It will also help to build an ecosystem centered on the military with their needs which can be quickly met without queues and paper certificates,” said Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for Digital Development.
Key innovations:
It is important that the registry will not contain information on military service, rank or specialty. Sensitive data will be stored in secure circuits of other information systems and can be depersonalized using Military ID instead of first and last names if necessary.
The new registry will help make services more accessible and reduce bureaucratic burden thanks to the transition to digital solutions.
Ukrainian businesses daily face numerous challenges, among which regulatory pressure is perhaps the most painful. The BRDO team, together with the Centre for Innovation Development, commissioned by the Ministry of Economy within the framework of the EU4Business: SME Policies and Institutions Support (SMEPIS) implemented by Ecorys in a consortium with GIZ, BRDO and Civitta with the financial support of the European Union, conducted a research to assess how existing regulations affect entrepreneurs and what changes are needed to create a comfortable business environment.
The survey involved representatives of 86% of the main sectors of the economy, such as construction, IT, agriculture, logistics, technical consulting, and others. According to the geographical distribution of business, 14.5% of respondents operate all over Ukraine, and 11% operate in Kyiv.
What are the main findings of the research?
What are the main challenges and obstacles faced by businesses?
Why is it important?
Deregulation is not only a simplification of procedures, but also a strategic step that will allow:
The research showed that many regulations do not meet the current needs of business and significantly limit its potential, creating artificial barriers to growth and competition in the market. Reducing this regulatory pressure will not only facilitate the work of entrepreneurs, but will also boost economic development.
To view the presentation of the survey results, please follow the link.
The Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), with the support of the USAID Justice for All Activity, has completed the final version of the comparative study of the digitalization of notary services. The document contains an analysis of international experience and best practices in the field, unique aspects of the Ukrainian notary system, and practical recommendations for its digital transformation.
Digitalization of the notary is relevant due to a number of challenges caused by martial law:
The study by the BRDO offers practical recommendations for the implementation of digital notary services in Ukraine. It will allow millions of Ukrainians to access notarial services remotely, protect documents and personal data under martial law, reduce administrative barriers and make the notary system more accessible to citizens.
The final version of the study is available via the link.
This comparative study was made possible with the support of the American people provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Justice for All Activity.