CFIS 25 Side Event: Expert Roundtable on Ukraine’s Investment Screening Framework

About the Expert Roundtable

As Ukraine envisions its long-term recovery and seeks to attract strategic investment, ensuring national security remains a critical priority. In late September, the Ukrainian Parliament introduced a draft law to establish a comprehensive foreign direct investment (FDI) screening regime, modeled on EU and U.S. systems such as CFIUS. The proposal reflects growing concern over malign influence in critical sectors, particularly from authoritarian actors.

This closed-door roundtable, held as an official side event of the CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS 25), is hosted by the CELIS Institute in partnership with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). It will present early insights from a joint CELIS–CIPE research initiative focused on Ukraine’s investment screening framework.

The project is part of the CELIS Institute’s broader effort to support governments and institutions in designing and implementing effective, transparent, and internationally aligned investment screening mechanisms. Through applied research, expert convenings, and tailored advisory work, CELIS helps authorities strengthen their legal and institutional capacity to manage foreign investment risks—particularly in strategic sectors such as defense, dual-use technology, energy, transport, and digital infrastructure.

The session will convene a select group of Ukrainian experts, European screening authorities, industry leaders, and relevant international stakeholders participating in CFIS 25, including specialists in foreign investment screening, national security, and international economic law. The discussion will focus on the implications of the draft law and practical pathways for strengthening Ukraine’s investment security architecture.

Goals of the Roundtable:

• Share preliminary analysis from the CELIS–CIPE research initiative
• Facilitate expert dialogue on Ukraine’s investment screening challenges
• Support further stakeholder engagement in Kyiv in December 2025

Participation is by invitation only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact: John Kay, Head of Programmes and Strategic Partnerships.