UNLA and APEX Ukraine welcome the Verkhovna Rada’s decision to abolish the lifetime PEP status
On June 9, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved legislative changes that abolish the lifetime designation of politically exposed persons (PEPs) and restore a more balanced approach to financial monitoring in line with international standards.
APEX Ukraine: The Compliance & Integrity Council, established at the initiative of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine as a cross-sectoral platform for compliance and integrity issues, welcomes this decision and views it as an important step toward establishing a fair and effective risk assessment system.
Over the past few months, representatives of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association and experts from APEX Ukraine have repeatedly drawn attention to the risks of applying lifetime PEP status to individuals who ceased to hold public office many years ago.
In April 2026, UNLA published a series of analytical reports and statements, emphasizing that the lifetime PEP status is inconsistent with the risk-based approach applied in most democratic countries and recommended by international organizations.
According to experts at APEX Ukraine, a financial monitoring system should assess not an individual’s formal status, but the presence or absence of actual compliance risks.
That is precisely why a return to a time-limited PEP status is a step toward a fairer balance between the state’s financial security needs and the protection of citizens’ rights.
Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association, noted that the decision reflects the position that the professional community has consistently advocated in recent times.
“The state should not punish individuals simply for having served in public office. Oversight should be based on risk assessment, not on lifelong restrictions. It is precisely this approach that aligns with modern international standards of compliance and integrity.”
APEX Ukraine notes that the platform is currently the first cross-sectoral expert initiative in Ukraine specializing in compliance, integrity, and risk assessment. One of its key areas of activity is the development and implementation of professional approaches to determining the presence or absence of compliance risks for businesses, organizations, and individuals.
APEX Ukraine will continue to collaborate with government agencies, the business community, and international partners to implement modern standards of risk management, integrity, and transparency in Ukraine.
