EBA calls on the government to support businesses amid intensified attacks

18/ 08/ 2026

The European Business Association has addressed government authorities with proposals for urgent measures to support businesses suffering losses as a result of Russia’s armed aggression. Systematic and large-scale destruction of production, warehouse, logistics and other infrastructure, alongside intensified attacks on businesses, is creating new challenges for companies. At the same time, current legislation and administrative procedures do not always take such circumstances into account, which may create additional obstacles to the resumption of business operations. Key proposals from the business community: 1. Simplifying administrative procedures and ensuring access to labour resources The Association proposes establishing a unified mechanism for documenting business losses based on the principle of submitting documents only once and enabling state authorities to mutually recognise the relevant information. This also includes simplifying procedures for confirming the loss or destruction of assets, including inventory procedures for force majeure purposes, and reducing the cost of their disposal. The Association also proposes ensuring that affected businesses have access to the necessary labour resources by extending the status of critical enterprises and existing employee reservation arrangements until the end of 2026 or until the company resumes operations, as well as increasing employee reservation quotas. 2. Expanding access to financing and war risk insurance Business proposes automating access for affected companies to existing government support instruments — insurance payments, lending programmes, tax incentives, grants and preferential leases of state property — based on confirmed losses. Particular emphasis is placed on the need for grant-based and preferential financial support to restore production, warehouse, logistics and port facilities. An important priority should be the establishment of a comprehensive war risk insurance system with government support and the involvement of international reinsurance mechanisms, particularly for maritime logistics and exports. 3. Tax and customs relief for affected businesses The Association proposes simplifying tax administration for affected businesses, including suspending the assessment of taxes and rent payments on destroyed or unusable property, simplifying the write-off of destroyed assets and goods, allowing tax liabilities to be paid in instalments or deferred, and introducing tax holidays. Business also proposes preventing the automatic blocking of VAT invoices issued by companies that have declared their inability to fulfil their tax obligations due to hostilities, as well as resolving issues related to excise tax on destroyed excisable goods. For companies that have suffered significant losses but continue operating and retaining their employees, the Association also proposes considering a reduced personal income tax rate of 9%, with appropriate safeguards against abuse. In the customs sphere, the Association proposes accelerating and simplifying cargo clearance, including allowing the prompt amendment of customs declarations when the place of delivery or means of transport changes, restoring simplified customs clearance procedures, and limiting the taking of samples where this is not necessary. Business also proposes easing certain requirements for companies that have suffered war-related losses, simplifying the crossing of the state border and temporarily reviewing certain state control measures. To support production, exports and infrastructure recovery, the Association also proposes abolishing export duties on soya and rapeseed, introducing duty-free imports of equipment for businesses operating in frontline areas, and exempting from import duties equipment required for the rapid restoration of electricity supply. 4. Ensuring the continuity of logistics and international trade To maintain the stability of supply chains, the Association calls for continued development and restoration of port, railway and border infrastructure, support for the transport sector through preferential financing and other government mechanisms, the development of alternative logistics routes, and the maximum possible simplification of customs procedures and border crossing. The European Business Association has sent a letter outlining and substantiating these proposals to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, relevant ministers, the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, the Head of the State Customs Service and the Acting Head of the State Tax Service. In addition to general support measures, this comprehensive package of proposals includes initiatives for specific sectors, including grain, tobacco, retail and healthcare.

The European Business Association has addressed government authorities with proposals for urgent measures to support businesses suffering losses as a result of Russia’s armed aggression.

Systematic and large-scale destruction of production, warehouse, logistics and other infrastructure, alongside intensified attacks on businesses, is creating new challenges for companies. At the same time, current legislation and administrative procedures do not always take such circumstances into account, which may create additional obstacles to the resumption of business operations.

Key proposals from the business community:

1. Simplifying administrative procedures and ensuring access to labour resources

The Association proposes establishing a unified mechanism for documenting business losses based on the principle of submitting documents only once and enabling state authorities to mutually recognise the relevant information. This also includes simplifying procedures for confirming the loss or destruction of assets, including inventory procedures for force majeure purposes, and reducing the cost of their disposal.

The Association also proposes ensuring that affected businesses have access to the necessary labour resources by extending the status of critical enterprises and existing employee reservation arrangements until the end of 2026 or until the company resumes operations, as well as increasing employee reservation quotas.

2. Expanding access to financing and war risk insurance

Business proposes automating access for affected companies to existing government support instruments — insurance payments, lending programmes, tax incentives, grants and preferential leases of state property — based on confirmed losses. Particular emphasis is placed on the need for grant-based and preferential financial support to restore production, warehouse, logistics and port facilities.

An important priority should be the establishment of a comprehensive war risk insurance system with government support and the involvement of international reinsurance mechanisms, particularly for maritime logistics and exports.

3. Tax and customs relief for affected businesses

The Association proposes simplifying tax administration for affected businesses, including suspending the assessment of taxes and rent payments on destroyed or unusable property, simplifying the write-off of destroyed assets and goods, allowing tax liabilities to be paid in instalments or deferred, and introducing tax holidays.

Business also proposes preventing the automatic blocking of VAT invoices issued by companies that have declared their inability to fulfil their tax obligations due to hostilities, as well as resolving issues related to excise tax on destroyed excisable goods. For companies that have suffered significant losses but continue operating and retaining their employees, the Association also proposes considering a reduced personal income tax rate of 9%, with appropriate safeguards against abuse.

In the customs sphere, the Association proposes accelerating and simplifying cargo clearance, including allowing the prompt amendment of customs declarations when the place of delivery or means of transport changes, restoring simplified customs clearance procedures, and limiting the taking of samples where this is not necessary. Business also proposes easing certain requirements for companies that have suffered war-related losses, simplifying the crossing of the state border and temporarily reviewing certain state control measures.

To support production, exports and infrastructure recovery, the Association also proposes abolishing export duties on soya and rapeseed, introducing duty-free imports of equipment for businesses operating in frontline areas, and exempting from import duties equipment required for the rapid restoration of electricity supply.

4. Ensuring the continuity of logistics and international trade

To maintain the stability of supply chains, the Association calls for continued development and restoration of port, railway and border infrastructure, support for the transport sector through preferential financing and other government mechanisms, the development of alternative logistics routes, and the maximum possible simplification of customs procedures and border crossing.

The European Business Association has sent a letter outlining and substantiating these proposals to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, relevant ministers, the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, the Head of the State Customs Service and the Acting Head of the State Tax Service. In addition to general support measures, this comprehensive package of proposals includes initiatives for specific sectors, including grain, tobacco, retail and healthcare.