Odesa State University of Internal Affairs hosted a roundtable discussion organized by the university’s Bar Association Club in collaboration with the nongovernmental organization “Youth Development Center,” which brought together representatives from the legal profession, customs and law enforcement agencies, government bodies, the business community, the academic community, nongovernmental organizations, graduate students, and undergraduates.
The event was moderated by Nataliia Bilak – Doctor of Law, Academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, and Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Law at the Odesa State University of Internal Affairs – who also serves as the director of the ACCORD subgrant project.
During the event, participants discussed:
the reform of Ukraine’s customs system in the context of European integration;
the improvement of customs legislation and its harmonization with EU standards;
the protection of the rights of participants in foreign economic activity;
the development of the customs service’s human resources.
The participants paid particular attention to the modernization of customs education, with a primary focus on training personnel for specialized law enforcement units within the customs service. New security challenges and the expansion of the agency’s functions require the development of unique competencies. In this regard, Odesa State University of Internal Affairs has taken the initiative to develop and implement innovative specialized programs for higher education institutions with specific training conditions. Participants emphasized that Odesa State University of Internal Affairs has all the necessary conditions to serve as the primary platform for implementing this security education track. The priority is to strengthen the practical component at the university: conducting specialized training sessions, simulating law enforcement operations, and integrating leading specialists from the State Customs Service’s active anti-corruption and security units into the educational process.
An important part of the event was the presentation of large-scale analytical studies conducted by experts from the non-governmental organization “Youth Development Center” as part of the ACCORD subgrant project, which is being implemented with EU support. These included:
- the results of a nationwide survey of customs and law enforcement officials;
- effective mechanisms for compensating business owners’ expenses and algorithms for compensating damages;
- the practice of applying Article 82 of the Law of Ukraine “On Public Service” (regarding the transfer and mobility of employees);
- a comprehensive analysis and prospects for the development of social guarantees for customs officers.
The results of the study will serve as a reliable empirical basis for further research by OSUIA and for the reform of the entire customs system.
Based on the results of the expert discussion, a resolution was drafted that contains strategic recommendations and proposals for improving Ukraine’s customs policy and legislation in accordance with EU standards.
Due to the overwhelming interest in the student essay contest “Ukraine’s Customs of the Future: A Youth Perspective” and in order to attract as many talented participants as possible, the submission deadline has been extended to August 31, 2026. This will allow all interested participants to thoroughly develop their ideas and propose their own vision for the development of a new customs system. Detailed information on the terms of participation will be published in a separate announcement.
We sincerely thank all participants for their active involvement, professional dialogue, and collaborative efforts toward building a modern and effective customs system in Ukraine!
Unit of Communication of the OSUIA