Alternative Bill No. 14282-1 proposes replacing the influence of international experts with parliamentary control and introducing a Disciplinary Commission

09.01.2026

Following Draft Law No. 14282, which proposes a complete reboot of the NEURC with the participation of international partners, an alternative document—No. 14282-1—has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada. It was initiated by Members of Parliament Viktoria Hryb and Oleksiy Kucherenko.

Energy Club has conducted a comparative analysis of the documents. While the primary bill relies on the decisive vote of the EU and the Energy Community, the alternative one focuses on strengthening the role of the Verkhovna Rada and introducing strict personal liability for Commission members.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the key differences.

1. Selection Committee: Parliament vs. International Experts

This is the main conceptual divergence between the two projects.

• Primary Bill (No. 14282): Proposes a “3+3” composition (Government + Parliament), where candidates nominated by international donors hold the decisive vote in deadlock situations.
• Alternative Bill (No. 14282-1): Completely excludes the direct participation of international representatives in the voting process. The Selection Committee is to be formed exclusively of representatives from Verkhovna Rada committees (7 people in total):
  • 3 members—from the Energy Committee;
  • 2 members—from the Committee on EU Integration;
  • 1 member—from the Economic Committee;
  • 1 member—from the Anti-Corruption Committee.

  International experts may only be involved in an advisory capacity (with a consultative vote).

The alternative bill shifts the selection process back into the parliamentary political sphere, reducing the influence of European institutions, which may spark debate during EU accession negotiations.

2. Accountability: Disciplinary Commission and the “Sword of Damocles”

Draft Law No. 14282-1 introduces new punishment mechanisms for Regulator members that are absent from both the current law and the primary bill:

• NEURC members shall be held liable for decisions or inaction that cause harm to the interests of the state or market participants.
• A Disciplinary Commission is to be established under the Cabinet of Ministers to review complaints against the actions of Regulator members. It will prepare findings regarding disciplinary action.
• In connection with the “corruption scandal in the energy sector in November 2025,” it is proposed to task the NAPC with conducting a full audit of declarations and lifestyle monitoring of current Commission members within three months.

3. Rotation: Audits Instead of Dismissal

Unlike the primary bill, which mandates the automatic dismissal of all NEURC members within a year, the alternative approach is more selective:

• The Government is given 3 months to verify facts regarding law violations by current members.
• Early termination of powers occurs only if such facts are established by the Cabinet of Ministers.

4. Institution of the Energy Ombudsman

A significant innovation of the alternative bill is the requirement for the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a draft law on the Energy Ombudsman within 6 months. This institution is intended to handle out-of-court dispute resolution and consumer protection.

5. Remuneration and Status

Regarding salaries, the authors of both bills are in agreement. The alternative bill also proposes linking pay to the subsistence level (SL):

• Chairman—75 SL;
• Member—60 SL.

This indicates a parliamentary consensus on the need for adequate funding to ensure the Regulator’s independence.

Summary for Business

Draft Law No. 14282-1 appears to be an attempt to maintain national control over the energy sector by preventing the transfer of key personnel leverage to international institutions.

Risks: The creation of a Disciplinary Commission under the Cabinet of Ministers could become a tool for the executive branch to pressure “unfavorable” members of the Regulator.

Opportunities: A more detailed competitive selection procedure (testing, situational tasks) and better protection for licensees (it is explicitly stated that interaction with the Regulator does not constitute lobbying).

Energy Club continues to monitor the progress of both bills in the relevant Committee.

Юридичний огляд: Законопроєкт № 14282 пропонує «перезавантаження» НКРЕКП та вирішальний голос міжнародників