Reform Index 241: Law on Using English Language and New Attempts to Improve the Work of the Bureau of Economic Security

Law on using the English language in Ukraine, +3 points

Law 3840-IX grants English the status of an international communication language in Ukraine, and the state is obligated to promote its active use.

High-ranking public officials (heads of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada, state secretaries of the Cabinet of Ministers and Ministries, and heads of certain state services) are required to be proficient in English. This also applies to heads of local state administrations and their deputies, prosecutors, university heads, and others. The level of proficiency needed will be determined based on the Council of Europe’s recommendations for language education (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s standard (STANAG 6001). English proficiency will be assessed through exams and international certifications. 

It is planned that border guards, dispatchers, and employees of emergency services, hospitals, and information desks at airports, sea and river ports, as well as at railway and bus stations, will also be proficient in English.

To create better conditions for English proficiency, the state will ensure the teaching of English in nurseries and kindergartens. Additionally, English will become a mandatory subject in schools, vocational schools, and universities. The state will also promote the development of digital platforms for learning English. 

The law offers a vague statement regarding who will finance Ukrainians’ learning of English: “funded by the state budget, local budgets, and other sources not prohibited by law.” It does not specify the amount of adult education that is guaranteed to be financed by the state or local authorities. This is a relevant issue, as it remains unclear where and under what conditions officials, emergency dispatchers, and border service employees will improve their English proficiency.

The law strengthening the independence of the Economic Security Bureau, +1.5 points

In the summer, the President signed Law 3840-IX, one of the structural benchmarks of Ukraine’s current cooperation program with the IMF. The key innovations of the law include new rules for the competitive selection and performance evaluation of the head of the Economic Security Bureau.

The number of members on the selection committee for appointing the Bureau’s head has been reduced from 9 to 6. Three members are chosen independently by the Cabinet of Ministers, and the other three are appointed based on proposals from international organizations that have provided technical assistance to Ukraine over the past three years. For the committee to make a decision, at least four members must vote in favor, with at least 2 of them being representatives proposed by international organizations. 

To assess the effectiveness of the appointed Director, an independent evaluation (audit) of the ESB’s performance will be conducted one year and three years after the Director’s appointment. This audit will be carried out by a special three-person commission, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers based on proposals from international organizations. If the commission’s conclusion indicates ineffective performance by the ESB and improper fulfillment of duties by the Director, he / she  may be dismissed.

Personnel commissions will be established to conduct the certification of ESB employees. 

To ensure the integrity of ESB employees, internal control units will be established, reporting directly to the Director of the Economic Security Bureau. These units will oversee compliance with laws on civil service and corruption prevention, particularly those related to ethical conduct and conflict of interest resolution. Additionally, the employees of these units will be granted the authority to monitor the lifestyles of ESB staff.

We wrote about this bill in the tenth review of important draft laws for January 2024.

Patient dashboard in “Diia,” +1.5 points

Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 756 allowed the creation of an electronic patient dashboard on the Diia Portal. Through this dashboard, patients will be able to access their medical information and documents in the central database.

Patients can use their electronic dashboards to update their personal information stored in the central database (Patient Registry), sign or terminate declarations with their chosen doctor, view the list of medical information systems with access to their data, and revoke such access.