The imitative modernization trap: asymmetries of european digital regulation and the public governance of digital transformation in Ukraine’s socio-economic system
Abstract
The article examines the paradoxical characteristics of the digital transformation of Ukraine's socio-economic framework within the framework of the Europeanization of digital governance. It substantiates the assertion that Ukraine has become ensnared in a cycle of imitative modernization, characterized by the superficial replication of European Union standards and the implementation of ostensible digital services occurring in the absence of sufficient institutional capacity, thereby exacerbating structural disparities and digital stratification. The objective of the study is to furnish a theoretical and methodological elucidation of the mechanism termed “double imitation” in the transference of EU regulatory paradigms (GDPR, AI Act, DORA, DSA/DMA, Data Act, eIDAS) to the Ukrainian milieu and its repercussions on various subsystems of the socio-economic framework. The methodological paradigm integrates systemic, institutional-cognitive, and comparative methodologies, critical policy analysis, case examinations of digital platforms, as well as an author-constructed matrix of qualitative indicators pertaining to “double imitation.”
Through a synthesis of empirical evidence from both European and Ukrainian contexts, the article illustrates that each component of digital regulation is subjected to two tiers of distortion: in EU member states – manifested through bureaucratization and the prevalence of a compliance-oriented logic, and in Ukraine – evidenced by the declarative essence of norms and the fragility of enforcement mechanisms. It is demonstrated that the outcome is the disaggregation of the digital sphere into discrete enclaves, an exacerbation of the digital divide, the precarization of labor, and an intensification of market monopolization. The scholarly novelty resides in the conceptualization of the “double imitation” trap as a pivotal risk of peripheral digital modernization and in the justification of a matrix of qualitative indicators for its diagnosis. The practical implications of the findings lie in establishing a foundation for transitioning from a project-centric to a systemic model of public governance regarding digital transformation, oriented towards inclusivity, digital rights, and the enhancement of national institutional capacity.
Downloads
References
Binns, R. (2018). Fairness in machine learning: Lessons from political philosophy. Proceedings of Machine Learning Research, 81, 149–159. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1712.03586
Bradford, A. (2020). The Brussels effect: How the European Union rules the world. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190088583.001.0001
Criveanu, M. M., & Popescu, A. (2025). Digital technologies and the transformation of e-commerce in the European Union: Implications for economic growth and competitiveness. Economies, 14(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies14010005
De Gregorio, G. (2021). The rise of digital constitutionalism in the European Union. International Journal of Constitutional Law, 19(1), 41–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/moab001
Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Bastow, S., & Tinkler, J. (2006). New public management is dead–Long live digital-era governance. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 16(3), 467–494. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mui057
Floridi, L., Cowls, J., Beltrametti, M., Chatila, R., Chazerand, P., Dignum, V., Luetge, C., Madelin, R., Pagallo, U., Rossi, F., Schafer, B., Valcke, P., & Vayena, E. (2018). AI4People–An ethical framework for a good AI society. Minds and Machines, 28(4), 689–707. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-018-9482-5
Helberger, N., Pierson, J., & Poell, T. (2018). Governing online platforms: From con-tested to cooperative responsibility. The Information Society, 34(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2017.1391913
IMD. (2023). World digital competitiveness ranking 2023. URL: https://www.imd.org/centers/world-competitiveness-center/rankings/world-digital-competitiveness
Janssen, M., & van der Voort, H. (2016). Adaptive governance: Towards a stable, ac-countable and responsive government. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2016.02.003
Kalja, A., Reitsma, J., & Saard, M. (2018). e-Government in Estonia: Architecture of the X-Road interoperability platform. In Proceedings of the 19th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (pp. 1–10). https://doi.org/10.1145/3209281.3209285
Kotka, T., Vargas, C., & Korjus, K. (2015). Estonian e-residency: Redefining the na-tion-state in the digital era. Oxford Cyber Studies Programme Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2626168
Kovalenko, M., Sikalo, M., Kovalova, T., Radchenko, O., Velychko, L., Nakisko, O., Grybko, O., Maistro, S., & Ryzhikova, N. (2025). Development of an integrated quality manage-ment model in the context of digital transformation: Public administration, education, economics. Technology Audit and Production Reserves, 6(4(86)), 46–61. https://doi.org/10.15587/2706-5448.2025.348540
Krastev, I., & Holmes, S. (2018). Explaining Eastern Europe: Imitation and its discon-tents. Journal of Democracy, 29(3), 117–128. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2018.0049
Larsson, S. (2020). On the governance of artificial intelligence through ethics guide-lines. Asian Journal of Law and Society, 7(3), 437–451. https://doi.org/10.1017/als.2020.19
Mergel, I. A., Ganapati, S., & Whitford, A. B. (2021). Agile: A new way of governing. Public Administration Review, 81(1), 161–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13202
Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation of gov-ernment: A systematic review and research agenda. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.101385
Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.06.002
OECD. (2024). 2023 OECD digital government index. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/1a89ed5e-en
Otto, B., Steinbuss, S., Teuscher, A., & Lohmann, S. (2022). Gaia-X: A federated data infrastructure for Europe. Communications of the ACM, 65(10), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1145/3555050
Shkarlet, S., Dubyna, M., & Zhuk, O. (2025). The global digital economy market de-velopment and transformation of business competitive strategies. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 23(4), 384–396. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.23(4).2025.28
Tammet, T., & Vinkel, P. (2023). Data exchange architecture in digital government: The case of Estonia’s X-Road platform. Government Information Quarterly, 40(4), Article 101861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2023.101861
van Dijck, J., Poell, T., & de Waal, M. (2018). The platform society: Public values in a connective world. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190889760.001.0001
Veale, M., & Zuiderveen Borgesius, F. (2021). Demystifying the draft EU Artificial Intelligence Act–Analysing the good, the bad, and the unclear elements of the proposed approach. Computer Law Review International, 22(4), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.9785/cri-2021-220402
Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine. (2025). Annual report of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for 2024. URL: https://amcu.gov.ua/pro-nas/zvitnist/richni-zviti/zvit-2024 [in Ukraine].
Halushchak, O., Halushchak, M., & Mashlii, H. (2023). Digitalization in Ukraine: Evo-lutionary transformations. Halytskyi ekonomichnyi visnyk, 2(81), 155–163. https://doi.org/10.33108/galicianvisnyk_tntu2023.02.155 [in Ukraine].
State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine. (2024). Monitoring of digitalization of higher education in Ukraine: Analytical report. URL: https://surl.li/ldpszs [in Ukraine].
Zaverukha, I., & Skoropad, I. (2025). The impact of innovations in banking applica-tions on customer experience and banks’ market positions. Ekonomika ta suspilstvo, 73. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2025-73-119 [in Ukraine].
Kretov, D., & Mindova, O. (2024). Digitalization of the banking sector of Ukraine: Current state and development prospects. Stalyi rozvytok ekonomiky, 2(49), 223–228. https://doi.org/10.32782/2308-1988/2024-49-35 [in Ukraine].
Malykhin, O. V. (2024). Digitalisation of specialised secondary education as a tool for minimising learning losses during wartime. Ukrainian Educational Journal, 4, 38–49. https://doi.org/10.32405/2411-1317-2024-4-38-49 [in Ukraine].
National Bank of Ukraine. (2025). Annual report 2024: Resilience. URL: https://bank.gov.ua/admin_uploads/article/annual_report_2024.pdf [in Ukraine].
Better Regulation Delivery Office. (2023). Annual report of the BRDO office for 2022. URL: https://brdo.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2022-BRDO-Report-Full-UA.pdf [in Ukraine].
Sikalo, M. V. (2025). From fragmentation to convergence: The theoretical architecture of transitive statehood in the digital era. State Building, 1(37), 152–170. https://doi.org/10.26565/1992-2337-2025-1-11 [in Ukraine].
Sikalo, M. V. (2025). Conceptual framework for public governance of socio-economic systems: From instrumental to substantional understanding of digital transformation. Actual Problems of Public Administration, 1(66), 67–87. https://doi.org/10.26565/1684-8489-2025-1-03 [in Ukraine].
Sikalo, M. V. (2025). Digital concept of e-government in public administration: Evo-lution and current state. Topical Issues in Modern Science, 6(36), 276–290. https://doi.org/10.52058/2786-6300-2025-6(36)-276-290 [in Ukraine].
Sikalo, M. V. (2025). Digital transformation in public administration of the Kharkiv region: Transitive model and practical experience. Investments: Practice and Experience, 18, 243–252. https://doi.org/10.32702/2306-6814.2025.18.243 [in Ukraine].
Skoryk, O. O., & Riabokon, N. P. (2020). Digital transformation of the public govern-ance model: Foreign experience and domestic realities. Derzhavne upravlinnia: Udoskonalennia ta rozvytok, 7. https://doi.org/10.32702/2307-2156-2020.7.50 [in Ukraine].
Tyshchenko, O. I., & Tyshchenko, V. V. (2024). Development of the electronic pay-ment system of the National Bank of Ukraine. Visnyk of Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University, 6(286), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.33216/1998-7927-2024-286-6-129-140 [in Ukraine].
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. (2024). Annual report on the observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Ukraine in 2024. URL: https://www.rada.gov.ua/news/Novyny/249143.html [in Ukraine].
Khaustova, V. Ye., Kriachko, Ye. M., & Bondarenko, D. V. (2024). Assessment of dig-italization processes in the countries of the world and Ukraine in global indices and rankings. Business Inform, 9, 75–93. https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-4459-2024-9-75-93 [in Ukraine].
CEDOS. (2024). Digital education in Ukraine: Challenges and opportunities. URL: https://cedos.org.ua/researches/tsifrova-osvita-v-ukraini-viklyky-ta-mozhlyvosti [in Ukraine].
Shevchenko, I., & Ukhova, N. (2025). Advancing European digital economic integra-tion in the context of Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Journal of European Economy, 24(2), 211–226. https://doi.org/10.35774/jee2025.02.211 [in Ukraine].
