In January 2024, the European Commission launched an official procedure for analysing the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law (screening), which laid the ground for negotiations on the accession of Ukraine to the European Union.
On 25 June 2024, the first Intergovernmental Conference between Ukraine and the EU took place in Luxembourg, marking the formal start of actual negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union.
The ESBU is involved in the implementation of European integration measures under the following negotiation chapters:
4: Free Movement of Capital,
7: Intellectual Property Law,
23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights,
24: Justice, Freedom and Security,
29: Customs Union,
32: Financial Control.
The ESBU regularly prepares relevant materials and provides the necessary information to other authorities, and the ESBU representatives regularly participate in events on European integration.
At the same time, during the official screening of the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law under negotiating chapter 24: Justice, Freedom and Security, which took place on 23-25 October 2024 in Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium), the ESBU delegation made a presentation of the Ukrainian Party on point 10.12 "Counterfeiting the Euro" of area 10 "Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters" of the above chapter.
Based on the results of the bilateral meeting, the ESBU was tasked with improving national legislation by ratifying the International Convention for the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency, signed at Geneva in 1929 and implementing the provisions of Directive 2014/62/EU to strengthen liability for currency counterfeiting offences and establish liability of legal entities for such offences.
The ESBU is also involved in the drafting Rule of Law Roadmap, the document which approved a list of key reforms of the candidate country in this area and the timeline for their implementation. Roadmap serves as the basis for the monitoring by the European Commission of the candidate country's progress in negotiating chapters 23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and 24: Justice, Freedom and Security.
To ensure the effective implementation of European integration tasks within its competence, the ESBU has set up a Working Group to ensure the fulfilment of Ukraine's commitments in the field of European integration.
At the same time, the ESBU representatives are involved in and successfully complete training under the BELT (British Euro-Atlantic Language Training) project, a training programme to improve English language skills for representatives of central executive authorities involved in Euro-Atlantic integration, with the support and funding of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The European integration process of Ukraine is complex and multifaceted, but gradual progress towards European standards, development of the legal system and improvement of the fight against economic crimes are essential for further approximation of Ukraine with the European Union and ensuring stable development of our country in the face of global challenges.