The State Customs Service of Ukraine is starting the process of certifying its officials. Customs officers will be checked for compliance with the position they hold and European anti-corruption standards.
This is stated in a statement by the State Customs Service (SCS).
The corresponding decree has already been signed by the newly elected head of the State Migration Service Orest Mandziy. Certification commissions must be formed by July 13, and the certification itself will take place in September in three stages:
- testing knowledge of Ukrainian legislation;
- general ability testing;
- interviews with certification participants to assess their compliance with the criteria of integrity and professional competence.
The first to undergo certification are the deputy heads of the State Customs Service, heads of central office units and their deputies, heads of customs bodies and their deputies. They must do this by October 2027 (this is 18 months from the date of appointment of the new head of the State Customs Service).
The remaining customs officers fall into the second queue and must pass certification by April 2029 (36 months).
If a person did not submit an application for consent to participate in the procedure, refused to undergo certification, or failed it, they may be dismissed from civil service.
Rebooting the State Customs Service
In October 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on customs reboot. Among other things, it provided for a transparent competition for the position of head of the State Customs Service and his political independence, as well as an independent audit of customs authorities and requirements for admission to the service.
On April 10, 2026, the government appointed Orest Mandziy as the head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine. Prior to this, he was the head of the detective unit of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). Prior to this appointment, the customs service had not had a full-fledged head since 2021.
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