Personal Data Protection Reform in Ukraine: Myths and Reality
On July 23, 2026, the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations hosted a round-table discussion titled "Personal Data Protection Reform in Ukraine: Myths and Reality."
The event brought together the authors of draft laws No. 8153 "On Personal Data Protection" and No. 6177 on the National Commission on Personal Data Protection and Access to Public Information, along with representatives of Ukrainian businesses, business associations, data protection experts, and academics.
Olena Pryiatelchuk, Acting Director of the IIR, welcomed the round table participants.
Faculty members of the IIR also joined the expert discussion:
- Olha Shpakovych – Doctor of Law, Professor
- Oleksandr Biryukov – Doctor of Law, Professor
- Viktoriia Khomenko – PhD in Law, Assistant Professor
- Oleksandr Shevchuk – PhD in Law, Assistant Professor
During the round table, participants discussed the implementation of EU data protection standards in Ukraine, the economic impact of the reform on business, the development of privacy protection technologies, and the balance between data protection and innovation. The discussion also covered new opportunities for Ukrainian companies in EU markets and Ukraine’s integration into the European digital space.
"An important step for Ukraine's integration into the EU Digital Single Market is bringing national legislation into line with EU standards in the areas of personal data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital services, and digital markets," noted Oleksandr Shevchuk.
The round-table discussion was organized by the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the National Committee of the UNESCO "Information for All" Programme (IFAP), the All-Ukrainian Association "Information Security and Information Technology," and the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, in partnership with the NGO "UA Experts."