On November 12, a presentation and expert discussion was held on the topic Legislative Guide: Landmarks on the Parliament’s European Integration Path, with over 100 participants, including Members of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Secretariat staff, international partners, representatives from academia, educational institutions, and civil society organizations, attending both offline and online.

Welcoming the participants, Oleksandr KORNIYENKO, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, highlighted the symbolic timing of the event, coinciding with the European Commission’s publication of the report on Ukraine’s progress regarding the reforms needed for EU membership. The report acknowledged that, despite the ongoing war, Ukraine remains committed to its European integration goals and has made significant strides in implementing reforms. The First Deputy Speaker also emphasized the importance of the legislative guides, which, given the complexity and frequent updates of Ukrainian legislation, along with the challenges of understanding EU legal acts and their implementation processes, serve as essential tools for navigating this intricate legal landscape. These guides play a critical role in ensuring the systematic regulation of laws, offering a comprehensive and unified perspective on the legislative process.

Artem YANCHUK, Deputy Secretary General of the Verkhovna Rada Office, emphasized the importance of the European integration transformation of Ukrainian legislation, considering the relevant European legal regulatory experience. He underlined the significance of the legislative guides prepared by the Research Service as essential benchmarks for the legislative activities of the Ukrainian Parliament in fulfilling EU requirements.

Benjamin BOBBE, Head of the Central and Eastern Europe Department of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, which supported the organization of the expert discussion, highlighted the strong partnership with the Research Service. He stressed that summarizing the European integration efforts of the Ukrainian Parliament, focusing on its priorities and prospects, is crucial not only for the parliamentary body but for society as a whole. Legislative and legal awareness is key to supporting the adoption of informed democratic decisions

Lesia VAOLEVSKA, Head of the Research Service, delivered a report titled Legislative Guide as a Supporting Tool for Navigating Legislative Changes in Implementing Ukraine's EU Integration Commitments, during which she presented the following guides: Legislative Activity in Ukraine: Public Consultation (Information Field Monitoring), Guide to Post-Legislative Scrutiny, and  Foresight Studies:A Guide.

Department Heads Anna Kondratova, Tetiana Barabash, Iryna Kostytska, Taras Skomorokha, and Tetiana Syvak presented guides on trends in the development of EU law, the practice of the European Court, legislative provisions for national security and public order, specific aspects of ensuring constitutional human rights, the legislative process in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the budget process, and discussed their integration into the educational activities of the Research Service.

The experience of international partners was presented by Aidan CHRISTIE, Head of the Publications and Editorial Support Unit at the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS); Hannes RATHKE, Head of Division EU 6 of the European Affairs Department at the German Bundestag; Štěpán PECHÁČEK, Director of the Parliamentary Institute at the Chancellery of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic; Fotis FITSILIS, Head of Department for Scientific Documentation and Supervision at the Scientific Service of the Hellenic Parliament; and Douglas PYPER, Head of the House of Commons Library’s Home Affairs Section at the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

In the discussion, Oleksandr KOPYLENKO, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs and Interparliamentary Cooperation, highlighted the history behind the development of the Legislative Guide as an analytical and informational tool. He proposed the creation of such a crucial resource in light of current challenges and threats, specifically focusing on legislative provisions related to radiological, nuclear, chemical, and biological safety.

During the closing remarks of the event, the future activities of the Research Service were outlined, with a focus on preparing proactive materials aimed at advancing the European integration tasks of the Ukrainian Parliament.

The Research Service extends its gratitude to all participants in the expert discussion and parliamentary committees for their productive cooperation and constructive approach.

We remain open to proposals and new ideas!

All legislative guides prepared by the Research Service are available on the official website in the “Catalogue of Analytical and Informational Materials” Section via the following link: https://research.rada.gov.ua/documents/analyticRSmaterialsDocs/