An effect of modification conditions of powdered nickel-cobalt catalysts on enantioselectivity of hydrogenation of ethyl acetoacetate has been studied. Addition of NaBr to the modifying solution of RR-(+)-tartaric acid does not improve enantioselectivity of the catalyst. When the Ni-Co catalysts are modified with amino acids, the best results are obtained with L-β-phenylalanine (17% ee).