From August 7-8 in Kyiv, CLDP conducted a workshop on government ethics for customs officials of the State Fiscal Service (SFS) of Ukraine. The workshop brought together more than 50 customs officials from the SFS headquarters and regional offices. It featured presentations and discussions led by experts from the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Ethics, the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine, and the EU Border Assistance Mission to Ukraine and Moldova. These experts explored the impact of corruption on trade and investment, discussed ethics as a tool to prevent corruption, and introduced international best practices of government ethics and specific methods to minimize opportunities for corruption in customs.

This workshop was part of a CLDP-led initiative in Ukraine that focuses on public procurement and customs reform relating to trade facilitation, judicial capacity building, and corporate compliance. As a result of CLDP’s recommendations following a September 2016 anti-corruption workshop in Kyiv, SFS issued ethics guidelines in March of 2017. This workshop aimed to support SFS in the implementation and enforcement of those guidelines and to assist in the development of integrity and ethics training programs. By decreasing corruption in its customs service and other government institutions, Ukraine can level the playing field for American and international firms by creating a more predictable business environment, which will attract foreign investment and spur economic growth.