After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine applied for EU membership on February 28, 2022. In a few months, the European Council officially granted Ukraine the status of a candidate state. This had many consequences, one of which is the obligation to fully approximate Ukrainian legislation to the EU acquis. In order to prepare Ukraine for joining the Union, efforts to bring Ukrainian legislation closer to the acquis should go beyond existing obligations under the Ukraine – EU Association Agreement, the Energy Community Treaty, and the Common Aviation Area Agreement. Such acceleration in the process of approaching legislation is accompanied by additional difficulties. For example, compliance with the horizontal provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which regulate the freedoms of the internal market, requires a comprehensive review of national legislation before introducing any legislative changes. In addition, approximation of legislation to EU legal acts, which can be applied only from the moment of membership, must be carefully planned and timed. The legal system of Ukraine must be ready to borrow EU legislation with all principles governing law enforcement, including the direct application of EU regulations. While all this is possible, it must be handled with care, especially in a country whose economy and society have been ravaged by war. 

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Edited books

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