Round 255 of the Reform Index, covering the period from December 30 to January 12, includes nine regulations. The highest expert rating was given to a Cabinet of Ministers resolution allowing drivers to independently document traffic accidents for insurance purposes without calling the police. This reform received a score of 1.5 points. The most significant progress in this issue was recorded in the areas of “Human Capital” and “Business Environment.” The overall Index score stands at +1 point, the same as in the previous issue.
Graph 1. Dynamics of the Reform Index
Graph 2. Values of the Reform Index and its Components in the Current Assessment Round
Traffic rules now clarify when accidents can be processed without police involvement, +1.5 points
The Traffic Rules have been updated to specify the conditions under which a traffic accident can be processed without involving the police.
Firstly, the updated text now explicitly states that if drivers reach an agreement on the details of the accident and complete a European Accident Statement (“Europrotocol”), they do not need to involve the police in preparing a report for insurance companies. Previously, this issue remained unclear in the regulations, although it was already common practice.
Secondly, the new rules specify that this provision applies only to accidents involving two vehicles, a detail that was previously omitted. Additionally, the types of damages eligible for simplified processing are now more clearly defined. These include vehicle damage or destruction, provided there is no harm to human life or health.
Another change concerns the consumption of alcohol, drugs, or medications containing these substances after an accident. In the previous version of the Traffic Rules, the prohibition on consuming such substances was lifted after drivers submitted a joint accident report, allowing them to do so before a medical examination. However, in the current version, this issue is not regulated.
| Before | Now | |
| Type of Accident | A road traffic accident involving vehicles covered by a valid compulsory civil liability insurance policy, provided they are operated by insured persons | A contact (collision) road traffic accident involving only two insured vehicles. |
| Type of Damage | In the event of no injured or deceased persons | In the event of damage to property exclusively in the form of vehicle damage (destruction), with no harm to the life or health of individuals |
| Condition of Drivers | In the event of no signs of alcohol, drug, or other intoxication or the influence of medications that impair attention and reaction speed | In the event of no signs of alcohol, drug, or other intoxication, or the influence of medications that impair attention and reaction speed in both drivers of the vehicles involved |
| Driver Agreement | Provided that the drivers of the vehicles involved agree on the circumstances of the accident | Provided that such drivers agree on the circumstances of the accident |
| Accident Reporting Method | If such drivers complete a joint accident report in accordance with the form established by the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau | Such drivers have the right to jointly complete an accident report for submission to the insurer without involving the relevant units of the National Police, in paper or electronic form, following the format and instructions approved by the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau |
| Further Actions of Drivers | After completing the accident report, the drivers of the aforementioned vehicles are released from the obligations specified in subparagraphs “d” – “e” of paragraph 2.10 (informing the relevant unit of the National Police about the accident, recording the names and addresses of witnesses, waiting for police arrival; taking all possible measures to preserve the accident scene, marking it, and organizing a detour; refraining from consuming alcohol, drugs, or medications based on them before a medical examination, except for those officially included in the first-aid kit) | After completing such a report, the drivers of the vehicles have the right to leave the scene of the road traffic accident and are released from the obligation to inform the relevant units of the National Police about the occurrence of the accident |
Information about the Reforms Index project, the list of Index experts and the database of the regulations assessed are available here.
Expert commentary
Denys Yastreb, General Director of the National Association of Insurers of Ukraine
“Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 19 of January 10, 2025, introduced amendments to the Traffic Rules and clarified the requirements for using the accident report known as the European Accident Statement (Europrotocol).
However, the Europrotocol has been used in Ukraine since 2011, as reflected in the previous version of Law No. 1961-IV ‘On Compulsory Insurance of Civil Liability of Owners of Land Vehicles’ (Article 33.2) and the Traffic Rules. Additionally, the electronic version of the Europrotocol has been available since 2017.
Thus, the changes to the Traffic Rules introduced by the Cabinet’s resolution do not establish the Europrotocol but rather align its definition with the updated Law No. 3720-IX ‘On Compulsory Insurance of Civil Liability of Owners of Land Vehicles,’ which came into effect on January 1, 2025.
The Europrotocol is a convenient and modern way to document traffic accidents that meet the criteria set by law and is widely used in Ukraine. According to the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU), in 2024, 38.5% of traffic accidents were settled using the Europrotocol. Compared to 2023, the number of insurance claims processed through this mechanism increased by 6.5%. This trend confirms that drivers are increasingly choosing this tool due to its convenience and speed in processing insurance claims.”
Ratification of the Protocol to the Agreement on the International Occasional Carriage of Passenger by Coach and Bus, +1 point
At the beginning of 2025, Ukraine ratified the Protocol to the INTERBUS Agreement on international regular passenger transport by bus.
European Union member states signed the INTERBUS Agreement on June 30, 2001. It regulates occasional (tourist) passenger transport, while the Protocol extends its scope to include regular transport services. The Agreement’s participants include all EU countries, as well as Moldova, Turkey, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and the United Kingdom. Ukraine joined the INTERBUS Agreement in 2012 and signed the Protocol in 2021.
With the ratification of the Protocol, Ukrainian drivers will be able to obtain a multi-use permit for routes to European countries instead of requiring a separate license for each trip. Additionally, the document aims to align Ukrainian transport regulations with European standards and simplify border-crossing procedures for passengers traveling by scheduled buses.
Expert commentary
Iryna Kosse, Leading Research Fellow at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
“The ratification of the Protocol to the INTERBUS Agreement is a long-awaited event. Now, our carriers will be able to transport passengers (non-scheduled services) without the need for permits within the territories of participating countries. Ukrainian drivers will also gain access to electronic records of INTERBUS logs.”
Reform Index from VoxUkraine aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of reform efforts by Ukraine’s authorities. The Index is based on expert assessments of changes in the regulatory environment in six areas: Governance, Public Finance, Monetary system, Business Environment, Energy, Human Capital. Information about the Reforms Index project, the list of Index experts and the database of the regulations assessed are available here.
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