ECONOMIC AND LEGAL COOPERATION OF EU MEMBER STATES IN THE FIELD OF DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN UKRAINIAN CONSTITUTIONALISM AND MUNICIPALISM
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Abstract
Ukraine's European integration has gained unprecedented intensity after 2014 and especially in the context of a full-scale war, when the process of gaining EU membership is combined with large-scale constitutional and municipal reforms. Economic and legal cooperation with EU member states is not only a tool of financial and technical support, but also a factor in the transformation of the Ukrainian legal system, its approximation to European standards of democracy, the rule of law and multi-level governance. Strengthening municipalism and modernization of the constitutional principles of public administration are key prerequisites for sustainable development and effective recovery of Ukraine. The relevance of the study is due to the need for scientific understanding of the mechanisms for integrating economic and legal cooperation into the system of constitutional construction and local self-government, as well as developing recommendations for the effective implementation of European practices in Ukrainian conditions. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features and directions of economic and legal cooperation of the EU member states in the field of development of modern Ukrainian constitutionalism and municipalism, to determine the impact of European practices and norms on the transformation of the constitutional system of Ukraine and the improvement of local self-government, and to outline the prospects for further integration of Ukraine into the legal and economic field of the EU to ensure the sustainable development of democratic institutions and regional development. The research methodology consists of such methods as the comparative method, the case analysis method, the empirical method, the historical and legal method, and the systemic method. As a result of the study, an analysis of economic and legal cooperation of the EU member states in the field of development of modern Ukrainian constitutionalism and municipalism was conducted. Based on official EU regulatory acts, in particular Regulation (EU) 2024/792 on the Ukraine Facility, as well as international agreements on partnership, cooperation and association with the EU ratified by Ukraine, key legal instruments of integration are considered. Special attention is paid to the role of the EU in supporting local government reforms and regional development, the implementation of the principles of multi-level governance and financial decentralization. It is established that economic and legal cooperation between Ukraine and the EU is a mutually reinforcing factor both for the constitutional development of the state and for the integration of European standards of municipalism into the Ukrainian legal system. The study confirms that in war conditions, Ukraine's European integration course acquires an additional dimension, combining the tasks of legal adaptation with the restoration of economic capacity and increasing institutional stability. The studied scientific publications and analytical reports emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach, which includes the harmonization of legislation, the implementation of European norms in the field of public administration and the use of EU financial and technical assistance instruments. The generalization of the results obtained allows us to conclude that the effective economic and legal partnership of Ukraine with the EU member states is both an integration tool and an important condition for the sustainable development of modern Ukrainian constitutionalism and municipalism, contributing to the strengthening of democratic institutions, transparency of governance, and increasing the well-being of communities.
How to Cite
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European Union, European integration, constitutionalism municipalism, economic and legal cooperation, local government reforms, Ukrainian constitutional identity, Ukraine Facility, association with the EU, regional development
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