Reform Index 137: Joining the International Freight System and New Rules for Hiring Civil Servants

In the previous round the index was also +0.6 points.

Law on Ukraine’s Accession to the Agreement of International Road Transport of Goods (KDPV) on electronic consignment note, +1.8 points

In order to simplify bureaucratic formalities for the carriage of goods by road across borders, the UN supplemented the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) with an electronic consignment note in 2008. It introduces a standard form of electronic consignment note for countries that have acceded to the convention.

France and Spain were the first to use this consignment note in 2017.  

Only now has Ukraine acceded to this convention, as the Verkhovna Rada recently adopted the relevant law 660-IX of 03.06.2020.

In order for this law to work, it is now necessary to introduce the information system that can be integrated with software at customs in other countries.

New procedure for concluding a contract with civil servants, +1.5 points

Civil service under contract was introduced in September 2019. Then the Verkhovna Rada passed a law on “reset of power”. Some experts negatively assessed the law because of the risks that the political leadership received tools to dismiss civil servants unjustifiably. These fears proved to be true — a range of state secretaries and heads of state bodies were let go(1, 2, 3).  

Along with these changes, the law allowed to hire up to 7% of the total number of positions in the public service under the contract.

By Resolution of June 17, 2020 № 494, the Cabinet of Ministers defined the rules for concluding contracts.