Співробітництво між Україною та ЄС щодо проведення внутрішніх демократичних реформ ; Ukraine/EU cooperation with regard to conducting internal democratic reforms

Abstract

Досліджено досягнення останніх років на шляху реалізації політичної частини Угоди про асоціацію між Україною та ЄС. Розглянуто проблеми реформування державної служби, розвитку місцевого самоврядування, проведення адміністративно-територіальної реформи, розвитку електронного урядування. Визначено актуальні завдання у сфері поглиблення внутрішніх демократичних реформ у контексті реалізації політичної частини Угоди про асоціацію між Україною та ЄС. ; Problem setting. The implementation of democratic reforms, aimed at further democratising social and political life, enhancing local governance, improving the power devolution mechanism, advancing the civil society, etc, is an important aspect in the implementation of the Ukraine/EU Association Agreement.Recent research and publications analysis. Studies into the issues relating to the institutionalisation of European standards into the public administration can be found in the works by V. Rebkal, E. Afonin, V. Shakhov, Ya. Berezhnyy, L. Honiukova, V. Kozakov, M. Lohunona, M. Piren, A. Popko, S. Sakhanenko, A. Semenchenko, M. Tulenkov, E. Topalova, etc. The issues of and prospects related to the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Agreement were researched by M. Mykiyevych, O. Krasivskyy, V. Murovnikov, R. Petrov, K. Smirnov, O. Holovko-Havrysheva, V. Motyl, I. Yavorska, I. Horodyskyy, O. Oleksiv, and D. Sherenhovskyy.Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. The process of Ukraine/EU political association implementation still remains a poorly researched issue in the National science. It, in particular, is related to the democratisation aspects regarding social and political life, the incorporation of European standards into the power vertical reshaping process, and the development of local governance; hence the choice of subject-matter for this study. The purpose of this paper is to determine the achievements reached in internal democratic reforms during the Ukraine/EU cooperation period, and to reveal the urgent problems in implementing the political segment of the Association Agreement.Paper main body. The compulsory reform of the body of State officials is one of the components of the "reform package" to be brought to life in Ukraine within the framework of the implementation of the political section of the Ukraine/EU Association Agreement. The first practical step in this direction was made by the adoption of a new Law "Re Public Service". In 2017, a performance assessment mechanism for public officers was regularised. Furthermore, institutional changes took place, connected with new structural divisions set up within ministries, i.e. directorates and general departments. A significant innovation in the reform of the power vertical lies in that the public service requirements are now no longer applied to heads of local State administrations. Among other measures with respect to this, a competitive recruitment system for entry into public service was cancelled for heads of local State administrations. Several important steps have been taken to further develop the E-governance sector.In 2015, an administrative-territorial reform was launched in Ukraine, initiated by the Law "Re the Voluntary Merger of Territorial Communities" adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in February 2015. In July 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law "Re Local Elections", and as from October 2015, elections of local council deputies and village/town/city mayors have been based on this Law. Various forms of inter-municipal cooperation of merged territorial communities are becoming increasingly widely used.The development of civil society is a separate area of internal democratic reforms that are underway in Ukraine. An Agreement was signed between Ukraine and the EU to finance the programme entitled "The Support of Civil Society in Ukraine". The President has signed an Edict "Re Promoting Civil Society in Ukraine", adopting the National Strategy for Promoting Civil Society in Ukraine for the Years 2016/20. A Presidential Coordination Board to promote civil society was set up. During 2014/7, the Public TV and Radio Project was implemented in Ukraine. Also, the process of State and Municipal printed media denationalisation is underway.Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of internal democratic reforms during the four years of cooperation with the European Union within the framework of the implementation of the Ukraine/EU Association Agreement: a reform of public service is underway, pilot ministries are being upgraded, European standards are increasingly being incorporated into the E-governance system in order to contribute to its development; enhancements have been made to the election legislation; the administrative-territorial reform is now actively implemented, inter-regional cooperation is expanding; civil society is continuously developing, the interaction between public authorities and civil society is being built up, and the denationalisation of State and municipal printed media will soon be completed.