INNOVATIVENESS OF THE ECONOMY AND ITS PRIORITY SECTORS AS A FACTOR OF UKRAINE'S INTEGRATION WITH THE EU

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to substantiate the positions of Ukraine in the world and European rankings compared to European countries regarding the level of innovation and its trends. This is achieved by means of methodological analysis, determining the innovativeness of the external sector of the economy according to the proposed comprehensive indicator for establishing directions for the implementation of European integration aspirations. Methodology. The study was conducted using a combination of general scientific methods and more specialised approaches, including abstract-logical analysis, system-structural analysis, statistical analysis, comparative analysis, grouping, systematization and generalization. Results. A comparison was conducted of the methodology for assessing the innovativeness of countries' economies in both world and European rankings. The investigation revealed that methodological approaches differ in single and group indicators in terms of quantity and essence. However, the calculation of a complex indicator in points is common. According to the Global Innovation Index 2024, Switzerland (for 14 years), Sweden (occupying this rank for the second year in a row), the United States of America, Singapore, and the United Kingdom are recognised as leaders. Since 2021, Ukraine's GII ranking has exhibited a discernible downward trend, attributable to the challenging military-political and economic conditions the country has experienced. The trend established by the correlation and regression analysis also indicates a further decline in the rank. However, the increase in the innovation coefficient is positive. The Summary Innovation Index, as presented in the European Innovation Scoreboard, indicates that the leading countries are Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, thereby substantiating the substantial discrepancy in the rankings. The prevailing sentiment regarding Ukraine is one of negativity. Ukraine's EIT score is three times worse than the EU-27 average. The priority sector in terms of integration is exports. The European Innovation Scoreboard is a comprehensive list of indicators that includes exports of medium- and high-tech products, as well as science-intensive services. The average value of exports is widely regarded as a comprehensive indicator of a nation's export capabilities. Ukraine was positioned 29th among 32 European countries in this regard. Primarily, there is a necessity for enhancement in the domain of exporting medium and high-tech products. Practical implications. The analysis of the innovativeness of the Ukrainian economy within the framework of global and European ratings allows for the identification of promising directions for the development of its priority sectors. Furthermore, the utilisation of the proposed comprehensive indicator of export innovativeness will create an analytical basis for the decision-making process concerning European integration. Value / Originality. A list of indicators of economic innovation is proposed to expand the ones used in domestic statistics, and the use of a comprehensive indicator of export innovation is suggested for comparison with European countries.