Open banking, fines for businesses, affordable medicines: what will change on August 1

A number of changes will take place in Ukraine starting August 1, affecting trade, social benefits, mobilization, healthcare, rail transportation, and the digitalization of military records.

The main ones include the return of fines for violation of cash discipline, new categories of deferrals in the Reserve+ app, open banking, expansion of the Affordable Medicines program, and mandatory verification of Ukrzaliznytsia tickets through Diia.

Open banking

In fact, as of August 1, open banking became possible in Ukraine, as the relevant provisions of the law introducing this concept came into force.

This means that banks and non-banking companies with which Ukrainians have accounts will be obliged to provide information about such accounts to third parties at the request of the client.

For example, a person has several accounts in different banks. In order to view the balances of these accounts or perform transactions with them, the client will need to log in to the application of each individual bank.

Open banking will allow the client to transfer such information either to one bank or to a third party. This third party can create its own application, where the client will have access to information about their accounts in different banks and will be able to manage them.

Penalties for businesses

On August 1, the grace period ends: fines for not providing checks or not using cash registers will increase.

For the first case, the fine is equal to the cost of the goods or services, and for each subsequent violation it will be 150% of the cost.

In 2023, fines were temporarily reduced: 25% of the value of goods, works or services after the first violation and 50% for each subsequent violation. However, as of August 1, these relaxations will expire.

Fines for failure to use payment transaction recorders or failure to issue receipts will be charged in full:

• 100% of the cost of goods, works or services after the first violation;
• 150% - after each subsequent violation.

Independence Day benefits

The state continues to pay one-time assistance.

This is a one-time state payment for certain categories of citizens - primarily war veterans, combatants, war victims, participants in the Revolution of Dignity, etc.

Those who have just become eligible for the payment had to apply by August 1. For those who have already received it before, it is automatically accrued. The amounts vary depending on the category, ranging from UAH 450 to UAH 3100.

The assistance is provided for the following categories of citizens

persons with disabilities due to war:

• Group I - UAH 3,100;
• Group II - UAH 2,900;
• Group III - UAH 2,700;
• combatants who suffered during the Revolution of Dignity, children imprisoned in camps - UAH 1,000;
• persons with special services to the Motherland - UAH 3,100;
• family members of fallen defenders, widows and widowers of deceased combatants - UAH 650;
• war veterans, former prisoners of concentration camps, forced laborers, and children of partisans - UAH 450.

Deferment after unauthorized leaving the unit (ALU)

Servicemen who have left their unit or place of service without permission for the first time now have more time to return without being punished. If a serviceman returns before August 30, he will not be punished.

Also, starting from August 1, the Reserve+ app has expanded the possibilities for applying for a deferral from mobilization. Now, not only those who have already had a deferral can apply online, but also new categories of citizens: students, parents with many children, people with disabilities, and others provided for by law.

Affordable Medicines Program

The Affordable Medicines Program in Ukraine allows you to receive certain medicines free of charge or with a small surcharge on an electronic or paper prescription.

Since August 1, the list of free and partially free medicines has been expanding. The list of free medicines will be expanded to include medicines for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Verification through Diia for ticket purchases

Starting August 1, 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia will introduce mandatory verification via Diia.Signature for the purchase or refund of tickets for a number of popular trains.

This is to reduce fraud in ticket purchases. Verification will be mandatory for the following flights:

• #105/106 Odesa - Kyiv
• No. 91/92 Lviv - Kyiv
• 29/30 Kyiv - Uzhhorod
• No. 12 Lviv - Odesa
• No. 27/28 Kyiv - Chop

Tickets for these trains will not be available at the ticket office.

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