Ukraine has been granted candidate status for membership in the European Union and, as a result, has committed to harmonizing its legislation and judicial practice in accordance with the EU acquis and the shared values of the member states, in particular Directive 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council and other international regulatory acts and recommendations. On Ukraine’s path toward European integration, particularly in the area of insolvency, there are certain challenges that the author examines in this work, analyzes in detail, and proposes solutions for Ukraine in light of Directive 2019/1023, the EU’s “Ukraine Facility” plans, European law, and leading judicial practice. The author argues that the national model for bankruptcy proceedings is ineffective and does not comply with EU law, starting from the moment the court accepts the bankruptcy petition and throughout subsequent procedures. Seeing somewhat more opportunities for improving national law and legislation in EU guidelines compared to other experts, the author proposes doctrinal changes to bankruptcy legislation, formulates ideas for amendments, and outlines the content of new provisions for amending the Code of Ukraine on Bankruptcy Procedures. In addition, the author proposes that in judicial practice, the application of insolvency law provisions should reinterpret existing bankruptcy and insolvency legislation in light of EU law, which, without amending the legislation, could provide an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of bankruptcy proceedings: to move away from dogmas and stereotypes; protect debtors and creditors from excessive losses, ensure legal certainty for participants in the proceedings, simplify and shorten procedures, and reduce the costs of proceedings, particularly for micro- and small entrepreneurs; increase liability for intentional bankruptcies. The relevance of this study and the proposals outlined herein stems from the practical need for legislative work on amendments to Ukrainian law, which is actively being pursued by stakeholders interested in such changes, including the author.

Authored books

1. Pryhuza P, Problemy teorii i praktyky konkursnoho prava v Ukraini: nespromozhnist ta bankrutstvo (Kharkiv yurydychnyi 2009) (in Ukrainian).

2. Pryhuza P, Pryhuza A, Naukovo-praktychnyi komentar Zakonu Ukrainy “Pro vidnovlennia platospromozhnosti borzhnyka abo vyznannia yoho bankrutom” (TDS 2013) (in Ukrainian).

3. Pryhuza P, Umysne bankrutstvo: teoriia i praktyka subsydiarnoi vidpovidalnosti: nauk.-prakt. posib. (Borysfen-pro 2020) (in Ukrainian). Journal articles

4. Filatov V, ‘Osoblyvosti sproshchenoho poriadku provadzhennia u spravakh pro bankrutstvo borzhnykiv mikro- ta malykh pidpryiemstv’ [2025] 75 Aktualni problemy polityky 341–349 https://doi.org/10.32782/app.v75.2025.47 (in Ukrainian).

5. Pryhuza P, ‘Hospodarsko-pravovyi aspekt pidstav vidpovidalnosti za bankrutstvo ta kvalifikatsii zlochyniv’ [2007] 1; 8 Visnyk prokuratury 86–94; 99–108 (in Ukrainian).

6. Pryhuza P, ‘Konkursne pravo v Ukraini: problemy teorii, praktyky ta zakonodavstva’ [2012] 3 Visnyk hospodarskoho sudochynstva 140–148 (in Ukrainian). 

7. Pryhuza P, ‘Lohiko-semantychnyi analiz problem vidsutnoho borzhnyka u sudovii praktytsi Ukrainy’ [2008] 2 Visnyk hospodarskoho sudochynstva 36–51 (in Ukrainian).

8. Pryhuza P, ‘Ohliad deiakykh problem zastosuvannia prava bankrutstva v Ukraini – potriben zlam paradyhmy’ [2011] 2 Visnyk hospodarskoho sudochynstva 131–138 (in Ukrainian).

9. Pryhuza P, ‘Pravove rehuliuvannia protsedur bankrutstva vidsutnoho borzhnyka ta borzhnyka, shcho likviduietsia vlasnykom, za zakonodavstvom yevropeiskykh derzhav: porivnialno-pravovyi analiz’ [2009] 1 Sanatsiia ta bankrutstvo 55 (in Ukrainian).

10. Pryhuza P, ‘Vidsutnii borzhnyk. Problemy pokynutykh pidpryiemstv, “kynutykh” kredytoriv ta obikradenoi derzhavy’ [2005] 5 Visnyk hospodarskoho sudochynstva 18–25 (in Ukrainian).

Newspaper articles

11. Pryhuza P, ‘Problemy konkursnoho prava v Ukraini. Krok vpered, dva kroky nazad’ (Iurydychnyi visnyk Ukrainy № 48–49 2011 r.) (in Ukrainian).

12. Pryhuza P, ‘Problemy sudovoho imunitetu vid bankrutstva pidpryiemstv – ob’iektiv prava komunalnoi vlasnosti’ (Iurydychnyi visnyk Ukrainy № 23 vid 07–13.06.2008 r.) (in Ukrainian).

Theses

13. Pryhuza P, ‘Pravove rehuliuvannia protsedur bankrutstva yurydychnoi osoby – vidsutnoho borzhnyka’ (dys kand yuryd nauk, 2011) (in Ukrainian). Conference papers

14. Pryhuza P, ‘Protsedury bankrutstva: viziia sudovoi vlady u svitli Dyrektyvy YeP i Rady YeS 2019/1023, ta Proektu YeS “Ukraine Facility”‘, kruhlyi stil 13.03.2026 “Rol hospodarskykh sudiv u zabezpechenni efektyvnosti protsedur bankrutstva” (accessed 27.03.2026) (in Ukrainian).

Websites

15. Bankrutstvo bez skladnykh protsedur. Komitet APU obhovoryv novi zakonoproiekty (18 bereznia 2026) (accessed 27.03.2026) (in Ukrainian).

16. Pryhuza P, Fakhovyi vysnovok stosovno zmin do zakonodavstva pro bankrutstvo: Zakonoproektu № 15004 vid KMU “Pro vnesennia zmin do Kodeksu Ukrainy z protsedur bankrutstva shchodo zaprovadzhennia sproshchenykh protsedur dlia sub’iektiv mikropidpryiemnytstva ta maloho pidpryiemnytstva” (accessed 27.03.2026) (in Ukrainian).