Nataliia Hutarevych Elected Chair of UBA

Nataliia Hutarevych, Counsel at Sayenko Kharenko, has been elected Chair of the Ukrainian Bar Association’s Committee on Natural Resources, Environmental and Ecology Law for 2026-2027,  at a time when Ukrainian businesses face mounting EU environmental requirements. 

From January 1, 2026, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply in full. Ukrainian exporters of steel, cement, aluminium, and fertilisers will pay carbon taxes at EU borders. The irony? These costs could have been avoided if we’d implemented our own emissions trading system in time. 

This is just one example of how delays in environmental harmonisation translate into real costs for business. 

Ukraine’s EU candidacy accelerates everything. The following two years will bring changes to carbon pricing, circular economy requirements, natural resource management, and environmental liability. 

Companies that act proactively gain a competitive advantage. Those who wait will face compliance bills. 

Nataliia knows the energy sector from the inside. Her experience includes electricity market reform, major infrastructure projects, complex agreements with international counterparties, and power plant reconstruction. 

Her practice combines energy and infrastructure with environmental and natural resources law – exactly the combination business needs right now. 

The Committee’s work will focus on: 

• EU environmental law harmonisation 
• Creating predictable regulatory frameworks for natural resource use 
• Facilitating dialogue between government, business, and investors 
• Supporting practical decarbonisation policies 

The role provides direct insight into environmental policy development as regulations evolve. Clients working in energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and natural resources benefit from advice that reflects both commercial realities and regulatory direction. 

About Sayenko Kharenko 

Sayenko Kharenko is a leading Ukrainian law firm with an internationally oriented full-service practice. Founded in 2004, we are currently among the two largest law firms in the country, with 21 partners and more than 100 lawyers. The firm specializes in complex cross-border and local matters and regularly handles the largest and most challenging transactions involving Ukraine.