Law No. 4555-IX (Reg. No. 12414)
Date of Adoption: 22 July 2025
Type of Document: Law of Ukraine
Status: Submitted for Presidential signature
1. What has happened?
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted a law that significantly alters the balance of power within the national anti-corruption framework. As a result, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have effectively lost their institutional independence and have been subordinated to the Prosecutor General.
2. Why is this critical?
This law constitutes a breach of one of Ukraine’s core obligations to the European Union: ensuring the institutional independence of anti-corruption bodies. Its adoption could jeopardize the opening of accession negotiations with the EU, expected in autumn 2025.
3. Which provisions are being violated?
- Article 255 and Annex XL of the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement
- Article 5(3) of EU Directive 2017/1371 (PIF Directive)
- European Commission Recommendation No. 1 for candidate status
- Standards of GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) and the Venice Commission
4. What needs to be done?
- Halt the signing of the law by the President
- Initiate a reconsideration of the law by the Verkhovna Rada
- Remove provisions that place NABU and SAPO under the authority of the Prosecutor General
- Involve the Venice Commission in providing an expert legal assessment
5. Conclusion
Law No. 4555-IX contradicts EU law, undermines the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions, and poses a direct threat to the country’s European integration trajectory.