DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY AS A FACTOR OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION: THE EXPERIENCE OF POLAND AND THE CHALLENGES FOR UKRAINE
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/2415-881x.2025.96.222-237
Abstract
The article provides a comprehensive study of the role of civil society as a factor of European integration, using the example of Poland’s experience and Ukraine’s current challenges. It demonstrates that Poland’s success was largely determined by the institutionalization of civil society organizations’ participation in policymaking, the introduction of public consultation and RIA procedures, the development of participatory practices, and involvement in EU programs. In Ukraine, especially after 2014 and in the conditions of the 2022 war, civil society demonstrated a unique mobilization potential, ensuring the resilience of the state and society while actively influencing the European integration agenda.
It is identified that the key problems for Ukraine remain the fragmented development, dependence on external donors, lack of procedural stability of participation, and uneven capacities between the center and the regions. At the same time, thanks to EU programs and the building of civil society coalitions, an expert-analytical model of participation is gradually being formed, capable of ensuring monitoring and control over the implementation of the acquis.
The lessons of Poland’s experience are summarized, and the prospects for the development of Ukrainian civil society as a strategic partner of the state and the EU are outlined. It is concluded that institutional strengthening of the civic sector, its professionalization, and regional balance are necessary conditions for the successful integration of Ukraine into the European Union.
Keywords
Full Text:
>PDF (Українська)
References
Ash, T. G. (2002). The Polish revolution: Solidarity. New Haven: Yale University Press, 452 p.
Grabbe, H. (2006). The EU’s transformative power: Europeanization through conditionality in Central and Eastern Europe. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 280 p.
Ekiert, G., & Kubik, J. (2014). Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe: Consolidation or backsliding? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 312 p.
Krawchenko, B. (2017). Civil society in Ukraine: From mobilization to institutionalization. Kyiv: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Press, 164 p.
Marmazin, R. (2023). Civil society and war: Mobilization and self-organization. Scientific Notes of the Institute of Political and Ethno-National Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, (5), 12–23.
Palyvoda, L., & Burakovsky, I. (2018). Civil society in Ukraine: Current state and prospects for development. Kyiv: CCC Creative Center, 96 p.
Wolczuk, K. (2017). Ukraine between the EU and Russia: The integration challenge. London: Routledge, 288 p.
European Commission. (2015). Twinning manual. Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 112 p.
European Commission. (2020). Erasmus+ annual report 2019. Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 124 p.
EU Neighbours East. (2021). EU4Youth: Fostering youth employment and civic engagement in Eastern Partnership countries. Brussels: European External Action Service, 56 p.
Melnyk, O. (2019). The role of civil society in implementing anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine. Bulletin of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, (2), 70–78.
Hrabovska, I. (2023). Volunteer movement and civil society in wartime: New challenges for Ukraine. Scientific Notes of the Institute of Political and Ethno-National Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, (7), 39–47.
Krawchenko, B. (2017). Civil society in Ukraine: From mobilization to institutionalization. Kyiv: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Press, 164 p.
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224.
Fung, A. (2006). Varieties of participation in complex governance. Public Administration Review, 66(S1), 66–75.
Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative governance in theory and practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571.
European Commission. (2021). Better Regulation Guidelines (SWD(2021) 305 final). Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 186 p.
Sintomer, Y., Herzberg, C., & Allegretti, G. (2012). Participatory budgeting in Europe: Potentials and challenges. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 36(1), 164–178.
Transparency International. (2016). Integrity Pacts in Public Procurement: An Implementation Guide. Berlin: Transparency International, 120 p.
Transparency International Ukraine. (2017). Public Procurement Reform in Ukraine: ProZorro and Beyond. Kyiv: TI Ukraine, 48 p.
OECD. (2020). Innovative Citizen Participation and New Democratic Institutions: Catching the Deliberative Wave. Paris: OECD Publishing, 331 p.
Razumkov Centre. (2022). Civil society in wartime Ukraine: Adaptation and resilience. Kyiv: Razumkov Centre, 28 p.
Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). (2022). Civil society and European integration in wartime. Kyiv: CEDEM, 52 p.
VoxUkraine. (2023). Civil society and EU integration: Monitoring reforms in wartime. Kyiv: VoxUkraine Policy Report, 36 p.
Ukraine and the EU: Strategic partnership in wartime. Kyiv: National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS), 2023, 172 p.
European Commission. (2021). Better Regulation Guidelines (SWD(2021) 305 final). Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 186 p.
OECD/SIGMA. (2018). Baseline Measurement Report: Ukraine — Public Administration Reform. Paris: OECD Publishing, 93 p.
Emerson, M., & Movchan, V. (Eds.). (2016). Deepening EU–Ukraine Relations: What, why and how? Brussels/London: CEPS & Rowman & Littlefield International, 202 p.
European Commission. (2023). Association Implementation Report on Ukraine. Brussels: European Commission, 24 p.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The editorial board does not always share the position of the authors. The authors are responsible for the accuracy of the material presented.
All rights reserved.
© Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 2026