The EU support to Ukraine under the European Neighbourhood Instrument, is coordinated by the European Commission’s Support Group for Ukraine (SGUA). Together with the EU Delegation to Ukraine , SGUA develops support programmes for key reform areas (e.g. for decentralisation, the fight against corruption or strengthening the rule of law) which are often co-financed and implemented by EU Member States. The EU also supports the Ukrainian civil society through grants from different financial instruments, through contributions to the European Endowment for Democracy and a steady dialogue that informs our policymaking.
Over the last years, Ukraine has gained access to different European Union programmes, becoming for instance the frontrunner of Erasmus+ among the Eastern Partnership countries; becoming fully associated to the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation; and taking part in the Creative Europe programme supporting the cultural, creative and audio-visual sectors.
The EU also cooperates with Ukraine in the framework of the eastern regional dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership.
Bilateral Cooperation
The EU supports Ukraine through a variety of instruments.
Overall, the EU and Financial Institutions (European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) have mobilised between 2014 and today over € 13 billion in loans and € 2 billion in grants to help Ukraine stabilise its economy, carry out comprehensive reforms and improve the lives of its citizens. This includes substantial bilateral financial and technical assistance under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (over € 1.4 billion). Ukraine benefits from Twinning and TAIEX, and, beyond bilateral support, from ENI regional and multi-country Action Programmes for the Eastern Partnership countries. In addition to the Chornobyl Shelter Fund, support is provided via the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC II) 2014-2020. Furthermore, the EU mobilised via four programmes a total of € 4.41 billion in macro-financial assistance for Ukraine, paid upon the fulfilment of reform conditions.
Finally, since 2017, a € 50 million comprehensive support programme for government-controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is in place. It aims at strengthening good governance and decentralisation, supports economic revitalisation and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), increases community security and social cohesion, fosters the regional health care system, supports displaced universities and assists with tackling the infrastructural disconnect. The programme was recently topped-up by € 10 million and expanded to support the Sea of Azov region.
Investments are channelled to Ukraine via the EU External Investment Plan, notably the Neighbourhood Investment Platform. Since 2014, over € 180 million has been channelled through the NIP to Ukraine for the support to infrastructure financing in fields such as transport, water/sanitation, energy efficiency, environment as well as SME funding and local currency lending.
Loans amounting to € 4.6 billion have been mobilised by the European Investment Bank since 2014 to support infrastructure development and reforms in the transport, energy, agriculture, education and municipal sectors, as well as for SME development in Ukraine. Investment worth € 4 billion from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has been mobilised since 2014 to help develop and reform, inter alia, the banking sector, agribusiness, transport and small businesses.
Via the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine, Ukraine-based international experts mainly from EU Member States assist Ukraine with the reform of the civilian security sector.
Find the latest opportunities from the EU-Ukraine cooperation here and here.
Overview of post-Maidan EU support to Ukraine