Eight Ukrainian Public Administration Employees Complete Six-Week EU Internal Market Training at the College of Europe in Natolin with EU support

The second edition of intensive training programme on EU integration at the College of Europe in Natolin has officially concluded. The initiative is part of the EU-funded
Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II (N4CB-II) project. The second cohort of participants, specializing in issues within the “Internal Market” negotiation cluster, was
selected through an open call and individual interviews. Over six-weeks, they studied the economics of European integration and the negotiation chapters on the Free Movement of Capital, Financial Services, and Intellectual Property Law.

“As a lawyer, I provide legal expertise on draft laws in Parliament, and my work is closely linked to economic issues. It’s very important for us to understand how the EU internal market is regulated. Through this programme, I want to build on my experience and gain a deeper understanding of its specific features,” said Roman Pozhodzhuk from the Main legal department of the Secretariat of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The programme combined academic learning with hands-on experience, ensuring direct relevance to participants’ daily work on Ukraine’s EU integration process. For many, the opportunity to engage with experts who have already worked on EU accession was invaluable.

“Here we have met experts from different EU countries who already have experience in implementing directives, which are also important for Ukraine”, noted Oleksii Ardanov, Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO).

“Without this programme and without this knowledge, it would definitely be harder to work on proper legislation and to know the specifics of how to implement it in practice. It would slow down our process on the way to the European Union. That’s why this programme is so important, and we really appreciate having this opportunity,” added Tetiana Stefiuk, Secretariat of the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

“We also had opportunities to meet many officials from Polish organizations and authorities involved in implementing the directives we are bound by. It is very useful to have such dialogues,” said Hryhorii Lurie, Deposit Guarantee Fund.

Beyond knowledge, the programme fostered a strong professional community among Ukrainian public officials.

“Working with different representatives of public administration helped me learn much more about their experience in their institutions and bring something new for myself,” said Olha Doionko, National Bank of Ukraine.

“In our community here, we all share the same goal. We exchange ideas, interact, and hopefully cooperate fruitfully,” shared Liudmyla Rusmanenko, National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC).

“It is more efficient when a group includes participants from different institutions, because all chapters within the negotiation clusters are interconnected. In Ukraine, ministries and institutions also cooperate closely while preparing for EU accession.” emphasized Andrii Burdeniuk from the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.

The project will run until January 2027 and will provide training for 100 selected Ukrainian public administration employees through six-week tailored programmes
delivered with the participation of experts and practitioners with hands-on experience in EU accession negotiations. In 2025, 17 officials have already completed the onsite educational programme at the College of Europe in Natolin.

“Public servants should apply to this programme because it’s a great opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the negotiation process and strengthen your expertise. It’s also a chance to connect with government officials from EU member states and see how things work there,” said Mykyta Kandyba, Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

About N4CB-II

Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II — Strengthening Ukrainian Public Administration for EU Integration (N4CB-II) is funded by the European Union and jointly
implemented by the College of Europe in Natolin and the High School of Public Governance, in cooperation with the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service.The project builds on the previous EU-funded Natolin4Capacity Building (N4CB)
initiative, implemented between 2020 and 2024.

Key Highlights:

• Tailored Onsite Knowledge and Analytical Skills Programme for 100 selected Ukrainian public administration employees at the College of Europe in Natolin;
• Training of Trainers module for 36 public administration employees, who are interested in sharing their experience and knowledge as course developers and trainers in European integration topics;
• 22 customized e-learning courses on European integration, including 5 newly developed ones, some of which will be made publicly accessible;
• Onsite intensive training sessions in Kyiv, reaching 90 participants;
• Expert-led webinars on key EU integration topics.