‘European integration is a shared endeavour in which diverse perspectives and expertise must be an asset and an advantage, not something to be dismissed as unnecessary or irrelevant,’ noted Yevhen Krapyvin, Head of the Law and Order area at the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, during the XIV Judicial Forum. ALI took part in the event, which is organised annually by the Ukrainian Bar Association to discuss the challenges and the future of justice in Ukraine.
Representing the expert community, Yevhen Krapyvin spoke in a discussion panel devoted to the key aspects of European integration in the justice sector. During the Forum, he emphasised that, in implementing EU-related reforms — particularly in the sphere of justice — the Government must engage not only with state institutions but also with professional communities: sectoral associations, think tanks, civil society organisations, academic institutions and others. Dialogue must continue — and it must be open and professional.
Participants discussed the opening of Negotiating Cluster 1 ‘Fundamentals’, the state of judicial reform, the role of civil society and international assistance, the institutional capacity of the state and the incorporation of European standards into the national judicial system. In his address, Yevhen Krapyvin stressed the need for a broader approach to the justice sector — one that includes not only the courts but also the Bar and the prosecution service. In this context, he underlined the role of civil society in the reform process, particularly the practice of preparing shadow reports, which have become an important source of analysis for European partners and, for Ukrainian institutions and public authorities, provide a comprehensive list of recommendations for continuing the reform process.
The discussion took place within the session ‘European Integration Processes in the Justice Sector’, together with the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Taras Kachka; the Director General of the Legal Policy Directorate of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Viktor Dubovyk; Acting Minister of Justice, Liudmyla Suhak; and Volodymyr Chaban, Head of the ‘Judicial Reform’ Component of the EU Project Pravo-Justice.
As a reminder, on 23 October 2025 in Kyiv, a coalition of civil society organisations led by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives presented the Shadow Report to the European Commission’s 2024 Report on Ukraine, covering Chapter 23 ‘Justice and Fundamental Rights’ and Chapter 24 ‘Justice, Freedom and Security’.
