The Annual Conference of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum UNP has started
The first day of the Conference was opened by a public discussion “Enlargement Report 2025: Civil Society Assessment”.
Date: 10 November 2025.
Online, working languages were Ukrainian and English (with simultaneous interpretation).
Number of participants: 108.
The event was held to discuss the 2025 EU Enlargement Package Report, was published on November 4, focusing on the European Commission’s assessment of Ukraine’s annual progress in reforms and transformations toward EU membership across all negotiation chapters.
The online event brought together over 100 participants, including Ukrainian and European experts, parliamentarians, and representatives of civil society.
Does the European Commission’s Enlargement Report genuinely offer Ukraine more cause for optimism than concern? At the Ukrainian National Platform of the EaP CSF public discussion held on 10 November during the Annual Conference, leaders from Ukrainian and European civil society organisations, alongside parliamentarians from Ukraine and Moldova, reached a common conclusion: despite its measured tone and absence of sharp criticism, the document contains important signals that, if ignored, could slow Ukraine’s path to EU membership. Why does civil society take a more measured view of the report than the authorities, and what decisions must the state make to keep accession by 2030 within realistic reach? We explain in this article.
These questions were addressed by representatives from parliament, European institutions, leading think tanks and civil society organisations, ensuring a thorough analysis of the Enlargement Report. Speakers included Pavlo Bakunets, Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Ina Coșeru, former Chair of the Parliamentary Committee of the Republic of Moldova, Andris Gobiņš, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, as well as heads and experts from key Ukrainian organisations active in justice, energy, environment, European integration and strategic communications. This diverse representation of participants provided a professional, structured and balanced perspective on how Ukraine and Moldova are progressing in implementing European standards and meeting EU membership criteria.
Key insights
Each year, the European Commission prepares the Enlargement Package to evaluate how candidate countries are meeting membership criteria, how far they have aligned their legislation with EU law, and which reforms still need support. This serves as a crucial roadmap guiding the EU and each candidate state in shaping the next steps of their partnership.
This year’s report holds particular weight for Ukraine. It is the first since the screening of Ukrainian legislation was completed and the third since the assessment process began. The assessment marks Ukraine’s strongest showing since gaining EU candidate status.
The European Commission stated clearly: Ukraine is showing steady and consistent progress in implementing reforms, even amidst a full-scale war. We are not simply staying the course towards the EU; we are actively harmonising our legislation with European standards, and our European partners are taking note.
In his opening remarks, Director of the Liberal Academy Tbilisi Foundation and Co-Chair of the EaP CSF Steering Committee Lasha Tughushi emphasised: “Ukraine has shown it can push reforms forward effectively even during a full-scale war — maintaining momentum that most countries couldn’t match even in peacetime. Yet even this isn’t enough. Opening negotiating clusters is essential to support Ukraine’s fastest possible accession to the EU.” Andrea Raimondi, Interim Director of the EaP CSF Secretariat, highlighted that completing the screening under wartime conditions demonstrates extraordinary strength, professionalism and resolve from both Ukraine and its civil society. The 2025 Enlargement Package confirms the EU’s doors remain open: enlargement is no longer a question of ‘if’, but ‘when’.
UNP National Coordinator Ruslan Havryliuk underscored that the Platform’s work focuses on advocating for Ukraine’s EU membership. Bringing together pro-European non-governmental organisations within the Platform enables coordinated action at this decisive moment, when European legislation must be implemented over the next two years to achieve EU accession by 2030. This year, as in previous years, the European Commission took into account the views of civil society organisations, particularly Platform members, when preparing the Enlargement Report.
The Enlargement Report for Ukraine acknowledged progress across multiple areas, particularly in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions — providing the foundation for opening the first cluster.
However, this pace of progress is insufficient for Ukraine to meet its commitments in the coming years. Indeed, at the current rate, Ukraine would only be in a position to seek EU membership in two decades. Thus, whilst the report highlights the need to accelerate reforms, the situation equally demonstrates that opening negotiating clusters is essential to build momentum.
Immediately following the Enlargement Package’s publication, the EaP CSF issued a call to open the ‘Fundamentals’ cluster. Recognising Ukraine’s progress would send a powerful message: Europe honours its commitments, and EU accession operates on a fair, merit-based system.
The European Commission also stresses in the report that a new phase lies ahead: the opening of negotiating clusters. This marks a shift from general reform assessment to targeted discussions on specific areas where Ukraine must align its legislation with the EU acquis.
This phase will demand close coordination among government, parliament, the expert community, and civil society. The National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA) is currently taking shape. This document will set out which regulations need to be revised, identify who is responsible, and establish the relevant deadlines.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Ukrainian parliament is making swift adoption of European integration laws increasingly challenging, despite the heavy workload in implementing EU legislation. According to Member of Parliament Pavlo Bakunets, a lack of integrity raises serious doubts about parliament’s effectiveness in advancing the European integration agenda.
The EU’s decisions on Moldova — which this year topped the European Commission’s assessments amongst all countries seeking membership — also hinge on Ukraine’s pace. Former Chair of the Committee on International Relations and European Integration of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and Deputy Chair of the ruling PAS party Ina Coșeru stressed that Moldova is advancing rapidly not because the path is easier, but because civil society has become a co-author of reforms — drafting legislation rather than commenting from the sidelines. For Moldova, European integration extends beyond legislation to combating propaganda and engaging the diaspora — areas where civil society plays a decisive role. Moldova’s experience in actively engaging its diaspora in elections offers valuable lessons for Ukraine in sustaining its European integration efforts.
European society’s perception of Ukraine has shifted from being an aid recipient to acting as a security provider for the European continent, notes Andris Gobiņš, member of the European Economic and Social Committee. Without Ukraine and its civil society, Europeans would not be secure. The EU must overcome Hungary’s blocking of negotiating cluster openings, argues the Latvian civil society representative on the EESC. He emphasizes the importance of a structured EU dialogue with civil society throughout Ukraine’s integration process
A foreseeable challenge is waning support for European integration in Ukrainian society as European approaches are introduced into national practice, given their more extensive regulatory requirements. This could dampen public appetite for European integration, slowing reforms and pushing membership further into the future. CSOs have an exceptionally important role in sustaining public support for European integration by showcasing the full benefits of EU membership to citizens, even where certain changes may face resistance. This is precisely the direction foundations working with CSOs plan to support, as highlighted by Vice President for Strategic Partnerships of the East Europe Foundation Vira Nedzvedska and Manager of the ‘Europe and the World’ Programme of the International Renaissance Foundation Olha Kvashuk.
The discussion also addressed key thematic areas of European integration covered in the Enlargement Report: the anti-corruption sphere and rule of law, public administration, economic development, energy, agriculture, environment, education, science, and innovation.
Co-founder and Executive Director of the DEJURE Foundation Mykhailo Zhernakov voiced concern about sluggish reform progress and the need for fundamental shifts in how EU standards are approached. He emphasised channelling Russian reparation funds into justice reform and anti-corruption efforts, whilst stressing that civil society must be actively involved in shaping European integration policy. Viktoriia Melnyk, Coordinator of the European Integration Direction at the NGO Centre for Political and Legal Reforms, observed that although public administration reforms have made some progress, stronger leadership and better coordination are needed to address the critical challenges identified in the report.
Economic reforms tied to EU accession align with Ukraine’s commitments under cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, notes Igor Burakovsky, leading Ukrainian economist and Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting. He identifies several important points requiring attention following the Enlargement Report’s publication. Key priorities include: using the report as an action guide while addressing Ukraine’s identified gaps; deepening cooperation with individual EU member states on sensitive economic competition issues; focusing on the implementation of already adopted legislation; and preparing the next EU financial support framework beyond the Ukraine Facility.
Ukraine’s strong assessment in energy reflects the long reform process underway since Ukraine joined the Energy Community. Yet despite the report’s diplomatic tone, the prospect of EU membership by the end of this decade appears highly ambitious, observes Anton Antonenko, Vice President of DiXi Group. Under these circumstances, the expert stresses, society needs daily communication about the benefits of European integration and the country’s aspirations to maintain broad public backing.
The environmental block of enlargement ranks as the second most complex after “Fundamentals”, notes Nataliya Andrusevych, Chairperson of the Board of the Resource and Analysis Centre “Society and Environment” and Coordinator of WG3 of the UNP EaP CSF. It cuts across all aspects of life and every economic sector. Unlike other negotiation chapters, horizontal environmental reforms cannot be deferred — transition periods are not an option here.
Integrating into the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy poses a challenge for Ukraine’s agriculture — a leading economic sector. For Ukrainian farmers, this opens access to European markets while requiring substantial sector transformation, including adopting new environmental standards. Tamara Malkova, Executive Director of the Green Dossier Information Centre and Coordinator of WG5, emphasises that beyond the period covered by the Enlargement Report, Ukraine has taken significant legislative steps this autumn towards integrating into the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy — notably adopting a law on the organisational foundations for agricultural support that effectively establishes the infrastructure for implementing the CAP in Ukraine. The next challenge is developing a national strategic plan and rolling it out at regional and community levels — a complex process requiring engagement from all stakeholders, including rural communities.
Education and science form the bedrock of the country’s future, stresses Ivan Kulchytskyi, President of the NGO “Agency for European Innovations”, Coordinator of WG4 of the UNP EaP CSF and WG6. He highlights advances in science sector reforms and integration into European programmes. Education faces challenges due to children and youth migrating abroad and learning under Russian shelling.
Nadiia Afanasieva, Director of the NGO “Ukrainian Institute for International Politics” and Coordinator of WG1, stressed the need for better communication between CSOs and the Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and government negotiating teams — to enable more effective use of the non-governmental sector’s expertise across specific negotiation areas. Ukraine could secure stronger assessments from the European side if such cooperation were functioning effectively now.
Summing up, event moderator Iryna Kuropas, Coordinator of WG2 of the UNP EaP CSF, emphasised: “Today’s discussion revealed what matters most: Ukraine is moving forward actively, and Europe recognises this progress. The European Commission’s report isn’t merely an assessment — it’s a vote of confidence and a reminder to maintain our pace and focus. I firmly believe that if the state, parliament, civil society organisations and experts continue to work in concert, we will succeed. We are at a historical juncture where each of us plays a vital role. And we are certainly ready.”
Concluding remarks
Naturally, the European Commission also identifies areas where efforts must be strengthened. These notably include rule of law, justice reform, safeguarding the independence of anti-corruption bodies, and developing democratic institutions. It’s equally vital to ensure anti-corruption infrastructure remains resilient so that no political attacks or pressure can undermine the trust built over years.
The Ukraine Facility deserves particular mention — a new financial instrument the European Union created specifically to support Ukraine. This goes beyond mere assistance; it’s a mechanism linking financial support directly to tangible reform results. In other words, every euro must be backed by genuine change.
Thus, this report’s main conclusions carry enormous weight for us. Firstly, Ukraine has received confirmation that its European course is irreversible. Secondly, we have proved capable of moving forward even under the most difficult wartime conditions. And thirdly, we must now turn this report from an assessment document into an action plan.
Our task is to maintain momentum, prevent political processes from stalling reforms, and leverage this positive signal from Brussels to secure the opening of negotiating clusters soon.
European integration extends beyond foreign policy. It represents our internal modernisation, enhanced governance quality, and improved living standards for citizens. That is why this Report goes beyond a European Commission assessment — it reaffirms Ukraine’s place in the European family.
Program discussion
Video (original version)
Video (English version)
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The event was held within the project “Supporting the Activities of the Ukrainian National Platform of the EaP CSF in 2025–2026,” implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting with financial support from the European Union. Individual opinions expressed at the event are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.
