Section F. European Union and Ukraine

Case study

European Union and Ukraine

Background Information

Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of justice and internal affairs is maintained within the framework of Subcommittee “Justice, freedom and security”, which is the working body of Ukraine-EU cooperation committee.The main document outlining the framework of cooperation in this sphere is EU Action Plan On Justice And Home Affairs in Ukraine. This document covers cooperation in the following spheres: Migration and asylum, Border management and visa, Organized crime, Terrorism, Judicial cooperation, Law enforcement cooperation, Strengthening the judiciary, rule of law and good governance.

The EU Action plan implementation schedule in the sphere of justice and home affairs in Ukraine serves the means of implementation, monitoring, evaluation and defining annual priorities. Justice and home affairs cooperation of Ukraine-EU Action Plan is based on the present EU Action Plan on justice and home affairs in Ukraine.

Problem

Key objectives of Ukraine in the legal sphere

- providing with asylum, particularly approximation of norms of national legislation to the principles of UNO Convention and Protocol on refugee status, and updating the state authorities, responsible for implementation and realization of legislative regulations concerning asylum and refugees to the EU norms and standards;

- development of effective and thorough border governance system;

- fight against organized crimes, in particular human traffic and terrorism (Ukraine is a participant of all international instruments of terrorism fight), money laundering;

- adoption and full implementation of proper legislation and measures of development of international cooperation in justice;

- justice system reformation, approving of new codes;

- intensification and simplifying of modern transborder cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, candidates to the EU accidence and corresponding third countries.

Task

You are members of the Ukraine-EU cooperation committee sitting. During the joint session the sides maintain monitoring of measures’ realization of the EU Action plan in the mentioned sphere. Ukraine is severely deficient in investment freedom, property rights protection, and freedom from corruption. Ranking 133^rd out of 157 countries and almost qualifying for repressed category. You are discussing the main recent achievements and losses of Ukraine in the field of justice. Work in groups to brainstorm the points listed below.