A field meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU took place in Vinnytsia. In addition to Committee members, participants included Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development Serhii Derkach, First Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service Major General Volodymyr Nikiforenko, Deputy Head of the State Customs Service Vladyslav Suvorov, Deputy Head of the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine Moira O’Sullivan, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Moldova Paun Rohovei, Head of the Vinnytsia Regional Council Viacheslav Sokolovyi, First Deputy Head of Vinnytsia Regional State Administration Nataliia Zabolotna, Mayor of Vinnytsia Serhii Morgunov, representatives of civil society, and others.

Prior to the meeting, participants visited Ukrainian-Moldovan border crossing points in Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Bronnytsia, as well as the site of the future border bridge over the Dniester River near Yampil. Based on the visit, they discussed the need to develop border crossing points and infrastructure, EU support, and prospects for joint control at the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. The meeting also addressed the implementation status of the European Commission’s recommendations on Integrated Border Management from the 2024 EU Enlargement Package Progress Report on Ukraine, and the role of parliamentary oversight in implementing Ukraine’s new Integrated Border Management Strategy.

“I would like to thank the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU for their work, which is both important and challenging. It involves multiple processes, including work directly at the border and the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Strategy. The EU, for its part, should continue supporting the Committee, the services, and the agencies working on the border and developing this strategy. In this context, I would emphasize the crucial role of parliamentary oversight in implementing this strategy,” stated Moira O’Sullivan, Deputy Head of the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine.

Committee Secretary Valentyn Nalyvaichenko stressed the need to align the regulatory framework for organizing joint border control with EU law, noting that this does not require additional funding. He also emphasized the importance of Ukrainian-Moldovan consultations with the involvement of EUBAM and local authorities from both countries.

Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach noted that joint control is currently carried out at five road border crossing points at the Ukrainian-Moldovan border: two located in Ukraine, one in Moldova, and two operating in a hybrid format (with joint control bodies stationed only on the entry side). The agreement on joint control with Moldova has been in force since 2018. Meanwhile, draft agreements on joint border control with Poland and Slovakia are undergoing verification by the European Commission.

Valerii Boiko, Deputy Head of the Passport Service Department of the State Border Guard Service, reported that over the past 2.5 years, passenger traffic at the Ukrainian-Moldovan border has increased by 33%, and vehicle traffic by 15%. He noted that the infrastructure of nearly all crossing points on this border section requires modernization, with many facilities consisting of temporary structures. For instance, the Bronnytsia checkpoint lacks water supply and sewage systems. Boiko also emphasized the need to automate border crossing procedures to minimize the human factor.

Chair of the Committee Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze emphasized the importance of parliamentary oversight in drafting the new version of the Integrated Border Management Strategy. She believes that the oversight role of the Committee must be reflected in the updated strategy. “We need to restore the balance of power in our parliamentary-presidential republic. And this applies not only to border management,” she said. She also stressed the need to increase the Committee’s institutional capacity, given the growing number of documents regulating Ukraine-EU relations. “We count on EU technical assistance projects to strengthen our capacity. At the same time, we must not rely solely on our partners — we need to build our own institutional resilience,” she added.

“The format of our field meetings deserves special attention. It ensures broad participation of both officials and representatives of civil society and business. This allows us to get first-hand information and see the situation on the ground. It’s a highly effective format that we will continue using,” said First Deputy Chair of the Committee Vadym Halaychuk.

Previous field meetings of the Committee were held at the Ukrainian-Polish, Ukrainian-Hungarian, and Ukrainian-Romanian border sections.