Ukraine’s Value-based European Integration: Why Is the Change in Mentality and the Implementation of EU Values Important? Column by Oksana Tsymbrivska for Censor.NET

Ukraine is on the threshold of a new stage of development, when its dreams of membership in the European Union may eventually become a reality. Ukraine’s irreversible path to the EU started with the signing of the Association Agreement in 2014, which became possible thanks to the triumph of the Revolution of Dignity. Later, the course for full-fledge membership in the EU and NATO was enshrined in the Constitution. June 2022 gave impetus push to profound transformations. At that time, Ukraine, struck by the full-scale invasion, received candidate status for EU membership. Only two years later, the first Intergovernmental Conference was held, which marked the beginning of actual negotiations on joining the EU.

As the experience of other countries shows, this process can last from several years to several decades. Everything depends on how quickly the necessary reforms will be carried out. It took Poland and the Baltic states about 10 years to become full EU members, while North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina have been negotiating for more than 20 years. These examples clearly show that the duration of negotiations for Ukraine will depend on the effectiveness of the implemented reforms, as well as on the readiness of the society to integrate into the European community, not only in terms of legislation, but also value-wise.

It is important to realise that the European Union is not just an economic association that provides for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. Above all, the EU is based on shared values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of national minorities. These values are the foundation that unites the Member States and defines the very essence of the European Union. They are provided for in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union and are guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Therefore, in order to become a full member of the EU, Ukraine must not only declare its commitment to the values, but also implement them in the future.

Among everything listed above, it is the rule of law that is of particular importance and serves as a basis for the protection of all other values. It promotes uniform and consistent application of EU legislation in all Member States, while creating a stable and predictable environment for citizens and businesses.

The EU disposes a number of tools to enforce and prevent potential threats to the rule of law in all Member States. In particular, starting from 2020, the European Commission has published annual reports on the state of the rule of law in EU Member States, which analyse both achievements and challenges in this area. Not only are these reports an important mechanism for assessing compliance with legal standards, but they also help countries seeking to join the EU, in particular Ukraine, to adapt their legislation and practices to the requirements of the European Union. This is why the rule of law is one of the key aspects of the accession negotiations, and compliance with it is a prerequisite for membership.

Negotiation Chapters 23 “Justice and fundamental rights” and 24 “Justice, freedom, security”, which directly concern the rule of law, belong to Cluster 1 “Basics of the EU accession process”. It is the first one to open and the last one to close. This means that accession negotiations will not be successful unless all criteria under this negotiating Cluster are met. In mid-September of this year, the first bilateral meetings between Ukraine and the EU under negotiation Chapter 23 were held in Brussels. Currently, the preparations for future meetings under negotiation Chapter 24 are in full swing. Based on their results, the Roadmap for Reforms on the rule of law will be prepared.

Therefore, European integration is much more than a technical process of harmonising national legislation with the EU acquis. No doubt, as of today, Ukrainians have already proved their loyalty to European principles in confronting the aggressor. However, the process of European integration goes beyond the heroic struggle at the frontline; it also requires the transformation of our society, deep changes in the consciousness of each and every Ukrainian. It is about abandoning old habits, in the first place, in particular, corrupt practices, and readiness to live according to new transparent rules, which require compliance with legal norms and standards, rather than to look for ways to circumvent them.

It is true that changing the mentality is a complex and time-consuming exercise. Education and media should have an important role in it. In particular, educational curricula should comprise the components that would promote the understanding and acceptance of European values. In turn, responsible journalism lays the foundations for the formation of critical thinking and active citizenship, which also plays one of the key roles in the process of European integration. European experience shows that civil society is the driving force of reforms. Thus, the citizens’ participation in the monitoring of activities of state bodies, their involvement in decision-making processes, as well as joining efforts to achieve common goals are the factors that can fundamentally change the situation in Ukraine, in particular, ensure the transparency of the government and its accountability, increase the level of trust in state institutions and make the process of quality transformations irreversible.

It is worth emphasising that Ukraine is making heroic efforts, continuing to move along the path of European integration and, at the same time, opposing the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. In these conditions, the implementation of the values of the European Union is not only a requirement for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, but also a window of opportunity for Ukrainian citizens on the way to building a fair, democratic and prosperous society, where everyone feels safe and confident in the future. It is only if everyone accepts these values that Ukraine will be able to become a full member of the European community.

Oksana Tsymbrivska, Team Leader of EU Project Pravo-Justice.

The text was first published in Censor.NET.