On January 28 and 29, 2026, the fourth expert meeting of the Anti-Corruption Task Force for Ukraine (ACT for Ukraine) was held at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris (French Republic).
The event brought together representatives of key Ukrainian institutions in the field of justice, the judiciary and executive bodies with special status involved in the fight against corruption, – the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, and the High Anti-Corruption Court.
The HQCJ was represented by the Chairman of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, Andrii Pasichnyk, and members of the Commission, Halyna Shevchuk and Yaroslav Dukh. The Ministry of Justice of Japan, which is a member of the Group of Seven (G7) and supports anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, invited the Commission to participate in the ACT for Ukraine working group meeting for the first time.
The event was attended by representatives of the G7 countries – Japan, Italy, Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, as well as the European Union. The international expert community was represented by organisations such as the OECD, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO).
The meeting was a unique experience for the Commission and provided an opportunity to inform international partners about the specifics of the body’s work, with an emphasis on its anti-corruption function in the formation of the judiciary.
Andrii Pasichnyk delivered two presentations: on the role of the HQCJ in ensuring judicial integrity and anti-corruption guarantees; and on the appointment of judges and their regular assessment as a vector of internal discipline and transparency of the judiciary.
The Chairman of the Commission spoke about the constitutional role and key powers of the institution in ensuring the integrity, transparency and professionalism of the selection of judges. The speech highlighted the anti-corruption safeguards built into all of the Commission’s procedures, including a clear assessment methodology, full digitisation of exams, collegial decision-making, the role of the Public Integrity Council, and open interviews.
The Chairman of the HQCJ paid particular attention to the challenges facing the Commission. These included judicial vacancies, the heavy workload in the courts, limited digital infrastructure and the need to ensure continuous operation under martial law. In addition, he stressed the importance of international support in order to strengthen institutional capacity and public confidence in the judiciary.
In his second speech, Mr Pasichnyk focused on the procedure and results of the competition for the courts of appeal, which was the first since 2016 when the appointment of appeal court judges was based on a qualification assessment conducted under transparent conditions. He also reported on the completion of the selection of candidates for administrative and commercial appeal courts.
During the panel discussions, representatives of the HQCJ reported on the regular assessment of judges, which is being introduced as a tool for professional development and involves the participation of the judges themselves, the National School of Judges of Ukraine, and representatives of civil society.
The role of the Public Integrity Council, the Public Council of International Experts and the Expert Council as guarantors of objectivity, transparency and trust in the Commission’s procedures and decisions was also discussed.
Overall, the event served as a meaningful platform for information exchange and professional dialogue, which is important in the context of Ukraine’s European integration course and the fulfilment of its commitments in the field of the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Key issues were discussed and readiness for further coordination was confirmed with a view to improving national practices.
For reference: The G7 Anti-Corruption Task Force for Ukraine is a platform for interaction and exchange of information on projects of the G7 countries and international organisations to support the fight against corruption in Ukraine, identify problems that need to be addressed, and discuss anti-corruption measures. The Japanese Ministry of Justice serves as the secretariat for the task force.
The task force actively promotes the coordination and harmonisation of international technical assistance and institutional capacity-building measures in the field of anti-corruption in Ukraine’s justice sector.
During the fourth meeting, thematic discussions continued and an assessment was made of how the task force’s work had been taken into account in the programmes of Ukraine and its international partners.
Following the meeting, the Commission will participate in the ACT for Ukraine initiative on an ongoing basis. Agreements were also reached with the organisers on the implementation of a separate track dedicated to the introduction of anti-corruption measures in the judiciary.
