Ukraine's National Security Council announces moratorium on business inspections
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has introduced a moratorium on business inspections conducted by state authorities, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on July 21.
"We are introducing a moratorium — a ban — on business inspections and any interference by law enforcement, regulatory bodies, or various state agencies in business activities," Zelensky said in his evening address. Writing on Telegram, he described the move as essential for ensuring the country's economic security.
"Everything that should support Ukrainian business and cooperation between partners with Ukraine must now be implemented quickly and without fail," he said. "We need tangible economic results in the next six months."
Newly appointed National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov clarified that the moratorium will target "unjustified inspections." Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have faced repeated criticism for conducting raids with armed officers in tactical gear, a practice widely condemned as excessive in cases involving economic crimes.
The move marks the latest in a series of moratoriums introduced since early 2024, amid mounting pressure from the public, anti-corruption advocates, and the business community to halt what they describe as the heavy-handed targeting of companies over financial matters and the alleged weaponization of law enforcement agencies to exert pressure on select firms.
President Zelensky and his team have repeatedly promised to fix the problem. In addition to moratoriums, the Presidential Office last year created a business council that could communicate directly with the office. The council has since been disbanded, and the various initiatives have so far failed to bring about meaningful reform.
The country’s parliament also voted last year to relaunch the Bureau of Economic Security — the agency most widely blamed for the overly aggressive treatment of businesses. The bureau is currently embroiled in controversy after Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers blocked a veteran anti-corruption official from being appointed as its new head — a major part of the reboot and a requirement of the International Monetary Fund's loan program to Kyiv.
Under these newly-announced moratoriums, inspections will still continue, but the criteria for carrying them out will change, according to Umerov. The number of inspections will be limited, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. Authorities will instead shift to a risk-based supervision model, focusing oversight on areas where real threats exist rather than conducting random checks.
An audit will also be launched to review investigations that have unjustly disrupted business operations, Umerov said. He added that new measures will introduce accountability for state pressure on businesses and increase transparency through digitalization.
"Without genuine respect for entrepreneurship, a resilient economy is impossible. And without a resilient economy, there is no strong army," Umerov said. He called the moratorium part of Ukraine's "comprehensive security architecture," aimed at helping businesses expand, create jobs, and support the country during wartime.
Earlier, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko — recently nominated as part of a broad government reshuffle — announced a one-year moratorium on business inspections, including limits on tax and customs checks.
