The development of mechanisms to integrate data on beneficiaries and prepare the presentation results during the UN General Assembly are among the main visit’s outcomes of the Global Register representatives coming to Ukraine.
On 7-8 August, there was the visit to Ukraine by Global Register of Beneficial Ownership (OOR) – project coordinator Zosia Sztykowski and CEO and co-founder of OpenCorporates Chris Taggart. At the meeting, they discussed information integration issues for beneficiaries from the United State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Organizations. In addition, they discussed launching of the pilot project aimed to transfer OOR to blockchain technology and how to integrate it with international indices, the Corruption Perceptions Index in particular. This will enable us to develop a powerful system of tools to fight grand corruption.
“At the time of the visit, we set up two goals: work out a mechanism for integrating data into the Global Register and offer new ideas for a transnational partnership. Through cooperation, responsible partnerships with international partners, Ukraine should implement anti-corruption reforms not only inside the country, but to be a driving force of change at the global level ,” said Olesia Arkhypska, expert on governance Transparency International Ukraine, member of the Coordinating Council for Implementing the International Open Government Partnership Initiative in Ukraine.
The opening of this information is one of the obligations under the national action plan and the Paris Declaration on the Open Government Partnership initiative as well as the final documents of the Anti-Corruption Summit in London 2016. Available data on the beneficial owners of companies are important in fighting against corruption and ensuring corporate accountability. In April 2017 the Global Register was launched and Ukraine became the first state officially accepting its willingness to integrate data on beneficiaries in an electronic format.
To launch the Global Register of the beneficial ownership, a great contribution was made by a consortium of international organizations: Transparency International, OpenCorporates, World Wide Web Foundation, Global Witness, the B Team, ONE Campaign та Open Contracting Partnership. This step is the result of the member countries political will as a part of the global Anti-Corruption Summit held in London in May 2016. The registry has become an authoritative source of information about the company and organizations owners. These data will link different jurisdictions, sectors, and databases.
Chronology:
July 27, 2017 – the official invitation on behalf of the leaders of The B Team to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to participate in the Plenary Session “Toward a New Trust: Serving Public Interests Through Transparency and Integrity” between Heads of State, global business and civil society leaders, on September 19, 2017, New York, USA during the UN General Assembly
June 16, 2017 – the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the State Agency for E-Governance of Ukraine, Transparency International Ukraine and BitFury Holding BV. On the development of blockchain technology at state registers and land cadastre, development of the first Development Index of blocks in the public sector and the receipt of the first data audit node for a public organization.
On June 14, 2017 – the international initiative “Open Government Partnership” congratulated Ukraine, the first of all countries which joined the Global Register of Beneficial Owners.
May 22, 2017 – the Memorandum of Understanding and Development of Cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the State Agency for E-Government, Transparency International Ukraine and the OpenOwnership Consortium on the transfer of information on beneficiary ownership to the Global Register was signed.
May 18, 2017 – The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine supported the initiative of Transparency International Ukraine to transfer information on beneficial owners to the Global Register and approved amendments to Resolution No. 593, September 8, 2017.
#
Contact for media: Olha Tymchenko, Head of Communication Department Transparency International Ukraine, 050-352-96-18, e-mail: [email protected]
Transparency International Ukraine is the chapter of the global anti-corruption network Transparency International with more than 100 countries around the world. Mission of TI Ukraine is to fight corruption in Ukraine promoting transparency, accountability and integrity of public authorities and civil society. Learn more at www.ti-ukraine.org
