EU–Ukraine Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection

Cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the field of environmental protection is based on the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and is one of the important areas of Ukraine’s European integration.

The main areas of cooperation include the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law, protection of air and water resources, waste management, nature and biodiversity conservation, prevention of industrial pollution, chemical safety, combating climate change, environmental monitoring, and access to environmental information.

In the context of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, important components of cooperation with the EU also include the assessment and documentation of environmental damage, ecosystem restoration, and the development of environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral reconstruction of Ukraine.

European Integration

Following Ukraine’s granting of EU candidate status and the launch of accession negotiations in June 2024, environmental policy became part of Negotiating Chapter 27, “Environment and Climate Change,” which is part of Cluster 4, “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity.”

In 2024–2025, Ukraine conducted a bilateral screening of its legislation under the negotiating chapters. The screening under Chapter 27 covered, in particular, horizontal environmental legislation, air and water quality, waste management, nature protection, industrial pollution, chemicals, noise, climate policy, and civil protection.

Ukraine successfully completed the bilateral screening with the European Commission in September 2025. The next stage is the opening of negotiations under the relevant chapters and the further alignment of legislation, institutional capacity, and implementation practices with EU law.

Key Results of Legislative Approximation

Ukraine has already implemented a number of systemic reforms in the environmental sector, including:

• Environmental impact assessment — The Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment” of 23 May 2017 No. 2059-VIII introduced a modern procedure for assessing the environmental impacts of planned activities in line with European approaches.
• Strategic environmental assessment — The Law of Ukraine “On Strategic Environmental Assessment” of 20 March 2018 No. 2354-VIII introduced the assessment of the environmental impact of strategic documents, plans, and programmes.
• Waste management — The Law of Ukraine “On Waste Management” of 20 June 2022 No. 2320-IX established a modern legislative framework for the transition to a European waste management model based on the waste hierarchy, waste prevention, reuse, and recycling.
• Wastewater management — The Law of Ukraine “On Wastewater Collection and Treatment” of 12 January 2023 No. 2887-IX established the legislative framework for reforming the sector of centralised wastewater collection and treatment in accordance with European requirements.
• Chemical safety — The Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring Chemical Safety and Management of Chemical Products” of 1 December 2022 No. 2804-IX established a modern system for regulating chemical products and aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU approaches.
• Industrial pollution — The Law of Ukraine “On Integrated Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution” of 16 July 2024 No. 3855-IX introduced an integrated approach to the regulation of industrial pollution, including the application of best available techniques and management practices.
• Climate policy — The Law of Ukraine “On the Basic Principles of State Climate Policy” of 8 October 2024 No. 3991-IX established the legal and organisational framework for state climate policy, including targets for climate neutrality, greenhouse gas emission reductions, climate change adaptation, and the development of a national climate monitoring system. The Law is explicitly aimed at implementing the relevant EU acquis.

Further Priorities

Ukraine’s further work in the environmental sector is aimed at fully aligning legislation and its implementation practices with EU law, strengthening the institutional capacity of environmental authorities, developing environmental monitoring systems and access to environmental information, improving waste and water resource management, protecting biodiversity, preventing industrial pollution, and implementing climate policy.

Particular importance is attached to ensuring the principles of Ukraine’s “green” reconstruction and integrating environmental and climate requirements into the process of restoring infrastructure, industry, cities, and natural ecosystems.

The European Commission recognises Ukraine’s progress, in particular in the areas of waste management, industrial pollution, chemical safety, and improving access to environmental information. At the same time, further progress is needed, in particular in the areas of environmental enforcement, environmental liability, air quality, nature protection, and the full implementation of the EU acquis.

Cooperation with European Institutions and EU Programmes

An important element in deepening Ukraine’s sectoral integration with the EU was the decision of the Management Board of the European Environment Agency (EEA) of 18 June 2026 to grant Ukraine partner-country status with the EEA and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet). Ukraine became the eighth EEA partner country. This creates new opportunities for cooperation in the areas of environmental data, monitoring, assessment of the state of the environment, and the use of European methodologies.

Ukraine also participates in the EU LIFE Programme, which supports projects in the fields of environmental protection, climate, and sustainable development. Participation in the programme provides Ukrainian organisations with opportunities to attract European funding and implement joint environmental and climate projects.

EU–Ukraine cooperation in the environmental sector is also carried out through technical dialogue between Ukrainian authorities and the European Commission, as well as through relevant EU programmes and instruments aimed at supporting environmental reforms, climate policy, and Ukraine’s green reconstruction.

Useful Links

Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine
https://www.me.gov.ua/?lang=uk-UA

European Environment Agency (EEA)
https://www.eea.europa.eu/

EU LIFE Programme
https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en

Ukraine Open Data Portal — Environment
https://data.gov.ua/group/ekolohiia