The digitalisation of public services provides not only convenience but also tangible benefits for the economy. According to a study by Civitta, since 2020, the economic and anti-corruption effect of digitising the services most susceptible to corruption risks has already reached 26 billion hryvnias.

These services include construction, seafarer certification, and the provision of Internally Displaced Person (IDP) status. Previously, they were considered the most bureaucratised and non-transparent areas. Thanks to digitalisation, these services have become open and simpler, saving citizens and the state about 4.2 billion hryvnias annually.

Overall, the digitalisation of public services saves around 7.4 billion hryvnias annually. Half of this amount comes from the most corruption-susceptible areas:

• construction – over 3.3 billion hryvnias;
• seafarer certification – over 746 million hryvnias;
• services for IDP status – almost 67 million hryvnias.

In addition to the financial effect, digitalisation has helped Ukrainians save millions of hours thanks to the absence of queues and bureaucratic procedures. Some services have become almost 99% cheaper, and the services themselves have become transparent — without bribes or intermediaries.

According to analysts’ forecasts, by 2035, the digitalisation of the services most susceptible to corruption could ensure a 1% increase in Ukraine’s GDP, as the saved funds are directed by businesses and citizens towards development and investment.

The study was conducted by Civitta and commissioned by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine with the support of EGAP Program, which is implemented by the East Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland.