International IDEA Supports the Cooperation Between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament on Rules of Procedure, Code of Ethics and Better Law-Making

Since May 2023, in light of the intensification of Ukraine’s EU candidacy, International IDEA has supported Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada in enhancing its understanding of the European Parliament’s law-making and internal functioning. As the Rada works towards more intensive EU law transposition, both expertise and direct engagement with European legislators have become vital. International IDEA assists via thematic briefings of the European Parliament’s rules of procedure, rules on parliamentary privileges and immunities, and code of ethics. This includes transparency rules for members and staff of the European Parliament. With the renewed momentum for EU accession, reviewing the rules that guide the Verkhovna Rada’s legislative agenda is timely. 

On the 29th of November - the 1st of December 2023, International IDEA, in collaboration with the European Parliament, supported the visit of the Ukrainian Parliament's Committee on Rules of Procedure, Deputy Ethics, and Arrangement of Activity to the European Parliament’s Committees on Legal Affairs and on Constitutional Affairs. The visit was designed to enhance the knowledge of European Parliament practices and to establish closer collaboration between Ukrainian and EU legislators. Mr. Serhii Kalchenko, Chair of the Ukrainian Parliament's Committee on Rules of Procedure, Deputy Ethics, and Arrangement of Activity, led the delegation of Committee members and staffers.

The delegation discussed the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament with Mr. Rainer Wieland, Vice-President of the European Parliament, comparing the EP rules with those of EU national parliaments. The debate centered on how to adjust the rules of procedure to emerging challenges, including the need for increased transparency and public accountability. These lessons help Ukraine immediately to reform its rules of procedure and code of ethics in the short run, but also help transpose the EU acquis into Ukrainian legislation in the medium term.

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_{^{Meeting with Mr Rainer Wieland, Vice-President of the European Parliament}}

The European Parliament’s Committees on Legal Affairs (JURI), and Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) discussed the powers that derive from its Rules of Procedure and how these affected the recent legislative agenda. The members of both Committees explained how the EP implements and amends the Rules of Procedure, and discussed the practical implications of parliamentary immunity, as well as the importance of the Code of Ethics.

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_{^{Meeting with Mr Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Chair Committee on Legal Affairs}}

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_{^{Meeting with Committees (from the left) - Mr Gilles Lebreton , Member Committee on Legal Affairs; Mr Domènec Ruiz Devesa, Member Committee on Constitutional Affairs; Mr Daniel Freund, Member Committee on Constitutional Affairs; Mr Damian Boeselager, Member Committee on Constitutional Affairs}}

The Ukrainian delegation met with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) to examine the role of parliament in EU accession. Parliament’s role in aligning legislation with the EU Acquis Communautaire and monitoring the implementation of EU accession reforms will be crucial to this process.

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_{^{Meeting with the European Commission’s DG for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (from the left) – Mr Sam Van der Staak, Director for Europe, International IDEA; Mr Wolfgang Nozar, Head of Unit, Directorate Ukraine, DG NEAR, EC; two representatives of the DG NEAR, EC; Mr Giulio Venneri, Team Leader for Rule of law and democracy, DG NEAR, EC; Ms Marta Udina, Head of the Parliamentary Support and Capacity Building Unit, Directorate for Democracy Support, DG for External Policies of the EU, EP}}

Establishing collaboration between the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Rules of Procedure, Deputy Ethics and Arrangement of Activity and the various European Parliament Committees will further enhance Ukraine’s parliamentary practices. The working visit was a hands-on learning opportunity at a strategic time. As both sides prepare for the opening of Ukraine’s accession negotiations, the two parliaments expressed a desire for continued cooperation.