On July 2, 2025, an open meeting was held in Kyiv between Acting Head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, Lesia Karnaukh, and representatives of public institutions and business associations. The central topic was the current challenges in tax administration and the search for effective solutions for the business community.

The Fuel and Energy Business Association was represented by Tetiana Dumenkova, Deputy Head of the Association. In her remarks, Tetiana expressed concern over the increasing shadowing of SMEs in the fuel sector, driven by the advance tax payment system, and called on the STS to engage in dialogue to resolve this issue.

The Association once again emphasizes: fair taxation is the key to a transparent fuel market, legal business operations, budget revenues, and job creation across the regions. This position is shared by hundreds of enterprises that ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the retail fuel market throughout Ukraine.

STS Position: Response from Lesia Karnaukh
Lesia Karnaukh expressed her gratitude to the business associations for their constructive participation in the dialogue and reaffirmed the STS’s openness to discussing the specific issues raised during the meeting. In particular, she noted:

“There are no small or unimportant issues for me. If the business community is raising a concern, it means the issue exists. It hasn’t disappeared. Together with business associations, we have already outlined the areas that require a joint and coordinated approach. Our main goal is to enable businesses to operate calmly, contribute to the budget, and ensure financial stability.”