International Study Visit to Germany Strengthens Ukraine's Environmental Enforcement Reform

On 19–20 January 2026, Fundament for Change organised an international study visit to Dessau-Roßlau and Berlin for representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine, and the IMPEL Network.

The study visit was designed as a platform for developing practical solutions to support Ukraine's environmental enforcement reform and advance alignment with the EU environmental acquis.

Building Strategic Partnerships for Reform

During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation held a series of working meetings with representatives of the IMPEL Network, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, as well as leading German environmental policy experts.

Discussions focused on practical approaches to reforming Ukraine's state environmental enforcement system, implementing EU environmental legislation, strengthening environmental monitoring, and enhancing institutional capacity across environmental authorities.

German partners positively assessed Ukraine's progress in implementing environmental reforms, particularly in the field of industrial pollution prevention and the development of the electronic Integrated Environmental Permit Register. This recognition reflects Ukraine's steady progress towards building an environmental governance system aligned with European standards.

Key Outcomes of the Study Visit

The meetings resulted in several practical outcomes that will support the next phase of Ukraine's environmental reform process.

Among the key achievements were:

• agreement on the Terms of Reference for developing a Strategic Concept for Environmental Protection and State Environmental Enforcement in the context of Ukraine's EU accession process;

• development of a roadmap for strengthening the institutional capacity of Ukraine's environmental monitoring system under the EU4Green Recovery East project;

• presentation of the concept for establishing an International Support Group on State Environmental Enforcement Reform to provide expert assistance for strengthening the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine;

agreement with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment on continued cooperation in implementing reforms and identifying potential financial support mechanisms.

From Study Visit to Long-Term Cooperation

The outcomes of the study visit laid the groundwork for continued engagement with European partners. Subsequent discussions in Brussels with representatives of the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, and the State Environmental Inspectorate focused on two strategic priorities.

The first concerned the operationalisation of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, including practical aspects of submitting claims, protecting sensitive information, strengthening evidence collection, and applying methodologies for environmental damage assessment resulting from Russia's aggression.

The second focused on strengthening Ukraine's environmental monitoring system in line with EU requirements. Discussions covered the transposition of EU environmental directives, institutional capacity building, and the preparation of a feasibility study for the establishment of a dedicated Environmental Monitoring Agency.

During the meetings, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management Oleh Bondarenko also emphasised the need to modernise Ukraine's environmental enforcement legislation in light of the environmental consequences of the war and to continue strengthening the institutional capacity of the State Environmental Inspectorate in line with EU recommendations.