INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE INTO THE EU: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER COOPERATION

УДК 339.924(47780)

Борисова П.Є., студентка 2 курсу
ХНЕУ ім. С. Кузнеця

Currently, the European Union is entering a new stage of integration. There are serious changes in the direction of unification of tax systems, convergence of legislation and the introduction of a single currency - the euro. Political, social and environmental and human rights problems are becoming one of the economic issues. It is about creating in the coming years not only the economic and monetary, but also the political union of these countries. In other words, today we see the multi-factorial development of the European Union and also, an increase in its role and place in the global economy.

Integration of the country into the world economy is a consistent solution to the tasks that are primarily provided by the national interests of the country as a whole unit. This problem cannot be solved without taking into account foreign-policy interests and intra-economic benchmarks. And when all basic elements of the national foreign and domestic economic policy will be defined, it will be possible to determine the scale of integration into the world economy.

The European Union is very attractive for Ukraine as a young European state. Therefore, one of the most actual tasks of Ukraine is a membership in the European Union.

For Ukraine, European integration is a way of modernizing the economy, overcoming technological backwardness, attracting foreign investment and new technologies, creating new jobs, improving the competitiveness, entering the world markets, first of all, the EU market [3].

Ukraine declared the European choice when it became independent. The main problem of foreign economic integration is that during the 17 years of Ukraine independence, there were made the first successful steps towards Euro-integration, but in 2004 it became clear that the integration process would not be so simple and predictable as it seemed to Ukrainian politicians.

Ukraine’s integration strategy into the European Union consists of approaching the pan-European structures in two parallel courses – directly and through membership in central European institutions.

Under these conditions, it is necessary to have successful relations with international economic organizations and groups such as the European Union (EU), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Council of Europe (CE), the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB).

In relations with the EU Ukraine hopes for:

  1. consistent support from the EU and its member countries on the accession of Ukraine to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of GATT / WTO, getting access to the Common System of Preferences of the EU;
  2. the solving of questions concerning Ukraine’s joining to separate European programs, in particular in the field of energy, transport, science and technology, environmental protection, education etc;
  3. ensuring non-discriminatory access of the main goods of Ukraine’s exports to the EU markets;
  4. activation of financial and technical assistance of EU countries to Ukraine etc [1].

The political advantages of Ukraine’s integration into the EU are connected with the creation of reliable mechanisms of political stability, democracy and security. EU membership will also open the way to collective security structures of the European Union, will ensure more effective coordination of actions with European states in the field of export control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It will also enable to fight against terrorism, organized crime, smuggling, illegal migration, drug trafficking etc.

Despite numerous economic and political problems, Ukraine is trying to implement its own foreign economic strategy based on the European choice and the development of bilateral economic relations with France, Italy and Germany.

Staying outside the European Union, Ukraine is successfully associated with the process of implementing the Common European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). Our country participates in the EU Police Missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Macedonia.

Accession to the WTO on May 16, 2008 is an important step of the foreign economic strategy of Ukraine; it also contributes to further integration.

But all the efforts of Ukraine at present have not yielded the desired result. Therefore, there are many unresolved issues such as:

  1. the limited reliability of the source and the potential for development of export opportunities;
  2. Ukraine’s weak position in the sphere of high technology;
  3. insufficient level of development of modern infrastructure, especially informational and transport ones;
  4. the low level of competitiveness of national producers, their goods and services and the economy of the country as a whole;
  5. the absence of large-scale investment in the Ukrainian economy by leading European multinational corporations, which makes it impossible for Ukrainian producers to enter their international distribution systems;
  6. the complexity of creating and improving the stock market;
  7. lack of readiness of the institutional structure in Ukraine, shortage of skilled staff, resource base for the implementation of appropriate measures [2].

Despite the obstacles, integrative processes will take place, because Ukraine is not only interested in the EU but also the EU is somewhat interested in the Ukrainian market, but on the condition of solving the problem of poverty which is now very actual.

European integration is the most important factor for both Ukraine’s international activity and its domestic policy for a long-term perspective; it strengthens security and positively affects Ukraine’s relations with all countries of the world.

Therefore, in order to accelerate the integration of Ukraine into the EU, the following priority measures should be taken:

  1. stopping further social stratification;
  2. ensuring genuine, and not declared development of entrepreneurship;
  3. the withdrawal of the economy from the shadow;
  4. free access to credit, material and information resources, markets for products;
  5. effective implementation of anti-fraud and corruption legislation;
  6. strengthening of financial control over structural and development funds;
  7. reform of the judicial system, protection of property and human rights;
  8. development of a new foreign economic strategy taking into account the positive and negative factors from the integration of Ukraine into Europe [2].

European integration of Ukraine is one of the most important and difficult issues of the country’s development. This is a question that has defined the slogans of Euro Maidan 2013-2014, and all subsequent actions of the Ukrainian authorities and society. Despite these problems the EU gives Ukraine new prospects of cooperation with developed countries of the continent; it also provides opportunities for economic, political and technical development.

REFERENCES

  1. Boyko O.V. International image of Ukraine: what is it and who needs it // Tribune. – 2006. – No. 1-2. – P. 12.

  2. Integration of Ukraine into the EU : problems and perspectives of cooperation.

  3. The advantages and disadvantages of Ukraine’s integration into the EU.

Науковий керівник

старший викладач Черниш Л.М.