On 15 December 2025, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine held an educational webinar on the topic “External Trade Relations: Foreign Direct Investment”.

The session was led by Stefan Weber, Professor of International Business and Finance Law at the Europa-Institut, Saarland University (Saarbrücken, Germany), and a graduate of Harvard Law School (LL.M.).

During the lecture, the legal framework governing foreign direct investment in the European Union was examined, including the allocation of competences between the EU’s common commercial policy and internal market regulation, as well as the evolution of investment control approaches in response to increasing geopolitical and security challenges. Particular attention was devoted to foreign direct investment screening mechanisms under Regulation (EU) 2019/452, the assessment of risks to security and public order, and the respective roles of the Member States and the European Commission within these procedures. In addition, national screening practices were analysed through selected examples from EU Member States, and key directions for revising the existing regulatory framework were outlined, with a view to reducing regulatory fragmentation and strengthening coordination at the Union level.

Simultaneous interpretation for the webinar was provided thanks to “Ukraine2EU – EU Integration Support Programme for Ukraine”, which made the event accessible to a broader audience.