Verkhovna Rada introduces phased return of competitions for civil service

Verkhovna Rada approves return of competitive selection

Parliament approved Bill No. 13478-1 in the second reading and as a whole, which provides for the restoration of the open competition procedure for filling civil service positions and positions in local self-government bodies. This step is aimed at replacing the temporary mechanism of appointments without competition, which was in effect during martial law, with the standard model of selection based on professional criteria.

Olena Shuliak, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, provided details on the adopted decision.

Phased transition to new rules

According to the law, the return to competitive selection will take place gradually, taking into account the categories of positions. For the highest level (Category “A”) and positions in local self-government bodies, competitions will take effect immediately after the document enters into force.

Transitional periods have been established for positions in Categories “B” and “V”: one month for Category “B” and two months for Category “V”.

Status of employees appointed during the war

An important condition is that employees appointed to positions without competition under martial law are not subject to automatic dismissal. They will be able to remain in their jobs without re-selection, provided they receive positive results in the annual performance evaluation.

In addition, the law preserves the authority of heads of state bodies to extend the terms of service for such employees. In areas where active hostilities are taking place, the possibility of appointment without competitive selection also remains in force.

Role of the “Diia” platform and evaluation criteria

All key stages of the competitive process — from the publication of vacancies and submission of documents to the publication of results — are planned to be implemented through the digital portal “Diia”. Data on appointments and selection statistics will also be posted on this platform.

The main criterion for evaluating candidates remains professional competencies. According to Olena Shuliak, the return of competitions is intended to ensure the selection of candidates based on professional competencies and the transparency of results.

Preferential treatment for veterans and career advancement

The law contains special provisions regarding the support of veterans. In the event of an equal number of points in a competition, preference will be given to war veterans. They will also be given the opportunity to undergo internships in state bodies for a period of up to six months. Representatives of veterans’ associations will have the right to be members of the Commission on the Senior Civil Service Corps, and the candidates themselves will be able to indicate their veteran status at the document submission stage.

Regarding internal promotion, employees with excellent results in the annual performance evaluation will be able to move to higher positions without holding a competition. For Categories “B” and “V”, the possibility of an internal competition under a simplified procedure is provided.

As Olena Shuliak explained, these measures have been developed to preserve the human resource potential of state bodies and to simplify career advancement for civil servants who have already demonstrated their effectiveness.