Priority directions of formation and realization of state policy in the sphere of European integration of Ukraine in modern conditions

Abstract

According to the results of 2018, the degree of implementation of the Association Agreement with the European Union by Ukraine has increased from 41 % to 52 % compared to 2017 (7.5 thousand indicators have been fulfilled within 2 thousand tasks). As a result, Ukraine received from the EU credit support for a total amount of € 1.2 billion in the following areas: transport infrastructure, housing and communal services, support for small and medium-sized businesses, energy efficiency and others. However, these are not all areas that are the subject of the relevant Association Agreement with the EU, and which need attention for further modernization. This requires the determination of priority directions for the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of European integration of Ukraine in the current conditions.

The following factors are at the heart of Ukraine’s chronic backlog of implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU: unrealistic timing; obsolescence of certain obligations; the institutional weakness of the process of ensuring the implementation of the Agreement; making legislative decisions contrary to the Agreement; lack of motivation to adopt the laws necessary to implement the Association Agreement with the EU.

There is a need for further dialogue on deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU within the framework of the Association Agreement in the fields of energy, justice and home affairs, customs and the digital economy. There is a need for fruitful cooperation on updating the annexes to the Association Agreement, which will facilitate the implementation process in line with the evolution of EU law and relevant international standards.

Therefore, the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of European integration of Ukraine in the context of the identified priority areas should contribute to: raising the level of national security as an important component of ensuring international security; implementation of modernization reforms in all sectors of economy and spheres of public life; the implementation of European standards of quality of life and poverty reduction among the population of the country; solving existing environmental problems; raising the level of safety of life of Ukrainian society.