Corruption remains endemic in Ukraine and is an impediment to democratic development in the country, which is one of the major objectives of EU and Danish Neighbourhood policy. Thus, anti-corruption in Ukraine is a high political priority for EU and Denmark and is a foundation for other ongoing Danish and EU support to the country.

To support anti-corruption efforts, EU and Denmark have allocated EUR 15 and 7.9 million, respectively for this cause. Following broad consultation with all interested EU Member States and taking into account the substantial experience Denmark has with governance, civil society programmes in Ukraine and the use of PIU arrangements, EU has decided to also award the implementation of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative, Phase II in Ukraine 2020-2024 to Denmark, using the indirect implementation modality (Denmark also implemented Phase I 2017-2020).

The overall objective of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative Phase II is to improve the implementation of the Ukranian anti-corruption policy by supporting the key anti-corruption state institutions: strengthening oversight of reform implementation by Parliament; and at regional and local level supporting civil society, investigative media, business and local governments, thus substantially improving Ukraine’s overall performance in the fight against corruption.