Meeting of the Working Group on Coordination of Twinning Instrument Implementation
On 18 December 2025, a meeting of the Working Group on Coordination of Twinning Instrument Implementation was held
This year’s meeting was of special significance, as 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Twinning instrument’s implementation in Ukraine. Over the past two decades, the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, acting as the national coordinator, has ensured professional and systematic management of the programme, contributing to reforms, institutional development, and the strengthening of public administration in line with EU standards.
In her welcoming remarks, Maryna Kanavets, Director of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union, emphasized the importance of the Twinning instrument as an effective mechanism for strategic reforms implemented within the framework of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. She noted the growing interest of government authorities in engaging in international technical assistance projects and expressed her confidence that the meeting’s outcomes would foster new successful initiatives aimed at advancing Ukraine’s European integration.
Asier Santillan, Head of Operations Section 1 “European Integration, Governance and Rule of Law, Civil Society” of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, underlined that Twinning remains a well-established and efficient EU support instrument that assists Ukrainian institutions in building capacity and aligning national legislation with the EU acquis.
During the meeting, Marta Mohilevska, Head of the Twinning Coordination Division of the Unit of Twinning Programme Administration Office activities, informed participants that in 2025, 50 project proposals were received from 34 government authorities. Based on the assessment conducted jointly by the Twinning Programme Administration Office and the EU Delegation to Ukraine, eight project proposals were recommended for inclusion in the Twinning Projects Work Plan , in particular:
- “Establishment of a SOC in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: adaptation of European cyber security standards” (Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine);
- “Implementation of Best Practices of European Data Protection Authorities into the Activities of the Ukrainian Supervisory Authority” (Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights);
- “Strengthening the expert potential and institutional capacity of the Ministry of Justice in conducting legal analysis of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with European Union law (EU acquis)” (Ministry of Justice of Ukraine);
- “Сreating a Single Digital Regulator in the spheres of artificial intelligence, digital services and digital markets, data access and public information (hereafter – the National Commission)” (Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine);
- “Strengthening the institutional capacity of the National Mediation and Conciliation Service as a coordinator for ensuring and developing social dialogue in Ukraine” (National Mediation and Conciliation Service);
- “Support to the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in the Implementation of the Law of Ukraine «On State Regulation of Plant Protection” (State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection);
- “Strengthening the institutional capacity of the NSSMC through the harmonization of its regulatory practices with EU capital market standards” (National Securities and Stock Market Commission).
- “Enhancing the institutional capacity of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in combating currency counterfeiting through the implementation of the International Convention for the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency, signed in Geneva on 20 April 1929 (hereinafter – the Geneva Convention), and other EU legal acts” (Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine).
According to Victoria Brich, Twinning Coordinator of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, this year mentioned not only an increase in the number but also in the quality of submitted proposals, reflecting the results of effective cooperation between Ukrainian authorities and European partners.
It was also noted that 60 Twinning projects have been successfully completed in Ukraine, 4 are currently being implemented, and 14 are at the stage of preparing detailed technical specifications (Twinning Fiche).
In concluding the meeting, Maryna Kanavets emphasized that the adopted decisions and the updated Twinning Projects Work Plan will further strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union and support the development of new projects aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of public administration and promoting European standards in the work of state institutions.
