New policy paper: Recommendations for strengthening NEURC’s governance

Berlin/Paris/Kyiv, 16 September 2026 –Green Deal Ukraїna (GDU), together with the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Ukraine Facility Platform (UAFP), the Kyiv Energy and Climate Lab (KECLab) and the German-Ukrainian Bureau (DUB), has published a new policy paper,“An Effective Framework for NEURC: Time for Action”, setting out recommendations for strengthening the governance, independence and effectiveness of Ukraine’s National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC).

he publication comes at a particularly timely moment. On 16 September 2026, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Draft Law No. 14282 as a basis at first reading, moving the legislative process on NEURC reform to its next stage. The preparation of the draft for second reading now provides an important opportunity to further strengthen the proposed framework.

The paper is the result of several months of joint work and consultations with Ukrainian and European stakeholders. It draws on exchanges with NEURC, the Verkhovna Rada, the Ministry of Energy, EU representatives, the Energy Community and other Ukrainian and international experts, including discussions held during a dedicated event on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June 2026.

The analysis argues that Ukraine should pursue all reforms that are possible within the current constitutional framework rather than wait until constitutional amendments become possible after martial law. It identifies key areas for action, including the selection and appointment of Commissioners, security and continuity of mandates, protection of regulatory decisions from external interference, financial and administrative autonomy, and stronger transparency, accountability and stakeholder consultation.

At the same time, the paper emphasises that legislation alone is not sufficient to ensure regulatory independence. Legal safeguards need to be consistently applied and supported by institutional accountability and a strong governance culture. The paper also highlights the importance of developing and retaining NEURC’s professional expertise and accelerating its integration into the European regulatory community.

The reform has become increasingly important as NEURC assumes additional responsibilities following Ukraine’s transposition of the Electricity Integration Package, including functions related to market integration, REMIT implementation, market monitoring, cross-border cooperation and the implementation of EU electricity market rules.

The NEURC paper is the first in a series of three policy papers examining key governance questions in Ukraine’s energy sector, with two further publications, on the Ministry of Energy and State-Owned Enterprises, to follow in the coming days.

View policy paper: https://greendealukraina.org/products/analytical-reports/an-effective-framework-for-neurc-time-for-action