The Ukrainian Business Council appealed to the authorities to ensure adequate funding for the BEB and strengthen its institutional independence

The Ukrainian Business Council (UBC), which unites 130 business associations and about 27 thousand enterprises, has appealed to state authorities with a request to improve the material and institutional support of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine (BEB).

This appeal was the result of a conference on the topic “Cooperation between the renewed BEB and honest business – the first half of the year”, where the Bureau’s management summarized the results of work over the past six months to de-shadow important markets. The participants of the meeting discussed achievements and possible improvements in cooperation.

The business community noted positive changes in a number of sectors where open analytical cooperation with BEB has developed. At the same time, a number of institutional issues need to be resolved to more effectively combat economic crimes.

One of the critical aspects is the Bureau’s insufficient funding. The salaries of BEB detectives are significantly lower than those of employees of other anti-corruption institutions, such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. Currently, the BEB staff is only 28% full, out of 4 thousand employees, 1145 actually work, and since August 2025, approximately 150 more people have left the agency.

The appeal states that the basis of the problem is the low base indicator for calculating salaries, which currently amounts to 2102 UAH, while for other law enforcement agencies it is 3328 UAH. The URB proposes to increase this indicator as part of the amendments to the state budget for 2026 and subsequent years.

In addition, the business association recommends granting the BEB the status of the main executive body, which can strengthen the independence of this institution and attract more qualified specialists, in particular in the field of information technology.

The URB also made proposals, which include:
– introduction of income tax compensation for BEB employees as for military and police officers;
– expansion of the territorial representation of the Bureau and opening new units in the regions;
– the possibility of purchasing specialized technical means for covert investigative actions;
– strengthening responsibility for the illegal production and circulation of excisable goods;
– improving legislation in the field of excise duties;
– introducing accounting for IMEI codes during customs clearance of devices with SIM cards;
– implementing a system for assessing the effectiveness of the BEB’s work, focused on de-shadowing the economy.

Based on the proposed initiatives, the business community believes that their implementation will strengthen the fight against the shadow economy, increase budget revenues and ensure equal competitive conditions for legal enterprises.

The URB emphasizes its readiness to actively participate in the development of legislative changes and provide expert support in reforming the country’s economic security system.

Within the framework of cooperation between the Bureau of Economic Security and jewelry market participants, the main risks in this area were discussed, in particular, tax evasion methods used by unscrupulous companies. It is important to note that one of the main risks remains the division of business into individual entrepreneurs, which some companies use to reduce the tax burden.