On 12–13 June, the Ukrainian Bar Association held its Second Investment Forum, which featured an expert discussion on the prospects, challenges, and strategic directions of the extractive industry.

Summarising the session, moderator Maksym Maksymenko — Partner at AVELLUM and Head of the Real Estate and Infrastructure Practice — shared several practical recommendations.

Recommendations from the Business Community to the Government:

• Publish the texts of the Limited Partnership Agreement and the General Partner Establishment Agreement to provide businesses with a clear understanding of how the U.S.–Ukraine Reconstruction Fund operates.

• Launch a unified digital platform for data exchange between subsoil users and the Fund to optimise information sharing on projects.

• Implement royalty reform by introducing incentivised rates for depleted fields, low-yield wells, and similar cases.

• Simplify land access for subsoil users.

• Fully digitise geological data and harmonise it with international assessment standards.

• Expand support tools (e.g., industrial parks, significant investment projects) to better reflect the specific needs of the extractive industry.

Recommendations from the Government to the Business Sector:

• Engage in the “State – Science – Business” coordination platform to jointly develop sectoral roadmaps and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Develop waste-related projects by researching and utilising secondary raw materials from tailings and other waste deposits.

These recommendations emerged during discussions covering the future of the U.S.–Ukraine Mineral Agreement, investment opportunities in critical minerals, current legislative initiatives, and market challenges. Among the business community’s key expectations are transparency in the Fund’s operations, incentivising royalty schemes, easier access to resources, and adherence to international standards.