In March 2025, we informed readers about 7 key draft laws for local self-government that were supposed to be adopted in the first half of 2025. Decentralisation.gov.ua monitors the status of these documents. Now that the last plenary week of June is over, we must admit that, in the last four months, MPs have only managed to adopt two of the draft laws on this list.

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The following have already become laws:

1. Draft law No.11412 (Law No.4425-ІХ) on simplification of procedures for community cooperation (more on the draft law).
2. Draft law No.12177-1 (Law No.4397-ІХ) on legalising the use of vehicles imported as humanitarian aid by public utility companies for passenger transportation (more on the draft law).
   Notably, draft law No.12250 is still awaiting its second reading, which stipulates that the use of humanitarian aid, charitable donations or free assistance by communities does not entail criminal liability.

The following draft laws from the list have not yet been considered:

1. Draft law No.12283 on postponing mandatory comprehensive spatial development plans.

Status: awaiting the second reading from 26 February 2025 (more on the draft law), though there may be an alternative draft law (read more).

2. Draft law No.10284 on improving the remuneration for local government employees engaged in matters of international cooperation and European integration.

Status: awaiting the second reading for more than a year – from 5 June 2024 (more on the draft law).

3. Draft law No.11054 on faster activation of the new legislation on service in local governments.

Status: awaiting the first reading for more than a year – from 19 April 2024 (more on the draft law).

4. Draft law No.12447 on aligning sectoral legislation with the legislation on certain issues of administrative and territorial structure, expanding the sectoral powers of local councils to cover the entire territory of the community.

Status: awaiting the first reading from 1 May 2025, after reconsideration by the profile parliamentary committee (more on the draft law).

5. Draft law No.13065 on the possibility of renaming communities following the decolonisation of localities.

Status: under consideration by the profile parliamentary committee since 12 March 2025 (more on the draft law).

At the same time, during the first six months, the Verkhovna Rada considered three other important draft laws for local self-government that were not included in the above list.

For example, on 5 June, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine made an important decision in favour of communities that had not been possible for years by adopting draft law No4380, ‘On Administrative Fees’, as a basis. This draft law is essential for the systematic support of administrative service centres and for strengthening the capacity of communities (more on the draft law). Hopefully, the second reading will not take another 5 years.

Earlier, on 13 May, Members of Parliament adopted as a basis draft law No13150 on ensuring the rule of law in the activities of local governments and local government officials. Adoption of such a law is a commitment to our European partners, as set out in the Ukraine Facility 2024–2027 plan. Draft Law No.13150 has become an alternative to the notorious No.4298 (read more).

In addition, on 25 March, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the second reading and as a whole draft law No.9478 on improving the correlation procedure between civil servant ranks and local government, military, diplomatic and other special ranks, and on including time spent in certain positions in military administrations in civil service records. The draft law regulates the inclusion of time spent working as heads of military administrations and local military administrations, as well as their deputies and employees who have concluded an employment contract, in civil service records. The document has been awaiting the President’s signature since 17 April 2025.

We will continue to monitor the adoption and implementation of the above legislation, along with all other necessary laws for local self-government.

To stay informed, please follow the news on the Decentralisation.gov.ua portal, as well as our Facebook and Telegram pages.