INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELD OF LAWMAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF UKRAINE'S INTEGRATION INTO THE EU

Abstract

This study examines the theoretical, legal and practical aspects of international economic co-operation in the context of Ukraine's accession to the EU. This is important given Ukraine's status as a candidate for EU accession and the ongoing process of European integration, as well as the need for thorough reform of the national legal system in line with European standards. International economic co-operation is expanding beyond traditional trade and economic relations to increasingly encompass legal regulation. This is because successful economic integration hinges on proper legislative harmonisation and effective mechanisms for regulating social relations. International economic co-operation is an important means of aligning Ukrainian legislation with that of the European Union. The process of legal integration has been found to entail not only aligning national legislation with EU law, but also amending the lawmaking process and improving procedures for drafting and assessing the impact of regulations, as well as implementing advanced tools for monitoring legislation's effectiveness. The study concludes that the Association Agreement is a vital legal mechanism that paves the way for legislative harmonisation and establishes the regulatory preconditions for Ukraine's continued integration into the European legal framework. The study found that the Ukrainian lawmaking system is gradually aligning with European standards. This is evident through the introduction of new institutional instruments and the development of a regulatory framework. However, several issues were also identified, such as fragmented individual lawmaking procedures, ineffective impact assessment mechanisms, limited use of legal oversight tools and insufficient institutional capacity within government bodies. Particular attention was paid to the impact of martial law on lawmaking and the importance of adhering to relevant governance rules and making effective regulatory decisions. The subject of this study is international economic co-operation in lawmaking, as it relates to Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. Methodology. The formal-legal method was applied to analyse the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the Law of Ukraine “On Lawmaking Activity”, the Treaty on European Union and other legal acts governing the process of legislative harmonisation and legislative activity. The comparative legal method made it possible to identify similarities and differences between the Ukrainian and European approaches to lawmaking, regulatory policy, impact assessment, public consultation and legal monitoring. The systemic method was employed to analyse lawmaking activity within the context of a broader legal and institutional framework of European integration. Meanwhile, the functional method was employed to evaluate the practical effectiveness of legal mechanisms designed to implement European standards within the Ukrainian legal system. The aim of this article is to examine the role of international economic co-operation in the development of lawmaking activities in Ukraine in the context of European integration. Results. The research demonstrates that international economic co-operation has become one of the main factors influencing the transformation of Ukraine’s lawmaking system during its integration into the European Union. It has been established that bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with the European Union's acquis involves changes not only to the content of legal norms, but also to the way rules are made. The present study demonstrates that the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Lawmaking Activity" signifies a significant step towards the institutional modernisation of the national lawmaking framework and the implementation of European regulatory standards. Concurrently, the research identifies several challenges, including the need to strengthen the institutional capacity of public authorities responsible for European integration. Conclusion. International economic co-operation in the field of lawmaking constitutes an essential element of Ukraine's European integration process and serves as an important mechanism for the modernisation of the national legal system. The approximation of Ukrainian legislation to European Union law necessitates not only the harmonisation of legal norms but also the transformation of lawmaking procedures and institutional practices in accordance with European standards of good governance.