Ukraine’s parliament approved a bill to restore competitive hiring for civil-service and local-government jobs, a reform the government links to a commitment associated with €137 million in European Union support.
The Verkhovna Rada’s tracker lists Bill No. 13478-1 as adopted Monday, Oct. 26, and “preparing for signature.” The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine says the new process depends on the law taking effect; additional decisions must be made before it can operate.
The timetable is staged. Category A competitions could be announced starting on the day the law takes effect. Announcements for Category B competitions are set to begin one month after the law takes effect, followed by Category C and local-government competitions two months after it takes effect. Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said job openings would be posted on Diia.
The European Commission describes the Ukraine Facility as a 2024-27 program that ties support to agreed steps in Ukraine’s plan. The Cabinet says resuming competitive selection is one of those commitments and links it to €137 million in support.
The government says veterans will receive priority in appointments. An April Verkhovna Rada explanation of the draft described that preference as applying when candidates had equal professional competence; the Cabinet’s Oct. 26 summary did not specify whether that condition carries into Bill No. 13478-1.
The parliament’s April explanation says simplified appointments were introduced at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and describes the bill as restoring competitive selection. Under transitional rules, employees hired without competition may stay in their jobs if their service head approves and they receive a positive annual performance assessment. Some managers in areas of active hostilities or temporary occupation may still be appointed without competition.
The Cabinet also says integrity will be a required criterion for candidates and serving officials. The parliamentary tracker lists the bill as being prepared for signature; the staged timetable is tied to the law’s effective date.
