On April 28-29, an official screening took place in Brussels to assess the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with European Union norms under Chapter 20 – "Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy."
The online meeting was opened by the Head of the Delegation and Chief Negotiator, Olha Stefanishyna. Presenting Ukraine's progress in adapting its legislation to EU standards were Deputy Minister of Economy Tetiana Berezhna, Deputy Minister of Economy Andrii Teliupa, Deputy Director of the Department of Regulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship of the Ministry of Economy Oleksandr Vasylchuk, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Space Agency, the State Service of Geology and Subsoil, the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development, and the Ministry of Strategic Industry of Ukraine.
Preparation for the screening lasted several months and involved collaboration between the Ministry of Economy's structural units, relevant government bodies, and the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
During the sessions, the Ministry of Economy's team presented progress in the following areas:
- Industrial policy development: modernization of industrial ecosystems, implementation of Smart Specialisation principles, and support for green production transformation.
- Support for small and medium-sized enterprises: participation in the EU Single Market Programme, stimulating cluster development, and simplifying access to finance.
- Development of the light industry: support for enterprises that maintain production, exports, and jobs even during the war, as well as the implementation of circular economy principles.
- Corporate sustainability and business responsibility: harmonization of policies with European standards on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.
- Deregulation and digitalization: streamlining regulations and developing digital services for business.
- Social economy development: support for businesses focused on social needs and community recovery.
- Steel industry recovery: presentation of plans for restoring production capacities and integrating into European supply chains.
“We presented practical tools for business support and industrial development: the ‘Affordable Loans 5-7-9%’ programme, grants for the creation and development of processing enterprises, solutions for modernizing production, and the implementation of Smart Specialisation in regions. The European Commission positively assessed the systematic approach, the tangible results of existing programmes, and Ukraine’s progress in adapting policies to EU standards,” noted Andrii Teliupa.
The European Commission acknowledged the high level of preparation of the Ukrainian delegation. Among the issues that require further attention is the quicker implementation of the Late Payment Directive.
“The positive outcome of the screening is an important step in Ukraine's negotiations for EU membership. We will continue working on adapting our legislation to EU law, implementing European approaches to business and industrial support, and carrying out priority reforms,” added Andrii Teliupa.
