Security is the foundation of European integration: conference on law enforcement reform takes place
July 01, 2025
Today, July 01, the conference “Overarching law enforcement reform as a key component of Ukraine’s European integration” was held in Kyiv, organised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in cooperation with the EUAM Ukraine and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The event was attended by Olha Stefanishyna, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Stefan Schleuning, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and Head of Cooperation Programmes at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Rolf Holmboe, the Head of the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine, and others.
The event was opened by Ihor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, who first and foremost informed the audience about the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the context of war. He stressed that the main task now is to defend the state and all the efforts of the Security and Defence Forces, including police, rescuers, border guards and the National Guard, are aimed at protecting the country and its citizens.
“I would like to express my gratitude to all our military, police and rescuers who are fighting back against the aggressor. It is very difficult to work for more than 3 years on the front line and in the rear, maintaining order in the country with the entire law enforcement system, while not forgetting that the main thing is the external enemy. And despite the fact that the fight against the russian aggression is our priority, the issue of building a state and its law enforcement system based on the European values and standards remains in the focus of our attention,” said Ihor Klymenko.
The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine noted that comprehensive reform of the law enforcement system is part of the negotiation process on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Ihor Klymenko stressed that without upgrading the law enforcement system, increasing its transparency, accountability and the level of public trust, it is impossible to build an effective and modern European-style state.
“The Action Plan for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Law Enforcement Reform is a detailed roadmap for a profound transformation that covers all key areas of reform and defines clear mechanisms for its implementation. At the centre of the transformation is the creation of a clear, logical law enforcement architecture, in which each agency has defined powers. This will make the system understandable, manageable and effective,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
According to Ihor Klymenko, the Action Plan includes six strategic directions, including:
Institutional and legal alignment – creating a transparent, logical and efficient law enforcement architecture by eliminating overlapping functions and creating a single legal space.
Proactive model of countering crime – the main focus being crime prevention.
Digital transformation and technological upgrade – upgrading processes, introducing criminal analysis and a risk-based approach.
European integration and international cooperation – streamlining national legislation with the EU acquis, expanding partnerships and strengthening interoperability.
Human rights protection, trust and transparency – promoting a human-centred approach, guaranteeing the rights of victims and witnesses, developing child-friendly justice, strengthening accountability and integrity.
Support for war veterans returning to service – creating conditions for their employment.
“These efforts are based on the principles of integrity, transparency and close integration into the European security space. We are developing a system with zero tolerance for corruption and open to public scrutiny. Moreover, Ukraine is consistently proving to be a reliable partner in the joint fight against transnational threats,” stressed the Minister.
Furthermore, Ihor Klymenko informed about the security projects that are already being actively implemented in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. These include the development of the 112 system, the modernisation of the regional alert system, the opening and round-the-clock operation of the Coordination Centre for Integrated Border Management and the Focal Point for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components.
In his turn, Stefan Schleuning, Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and Head of Cooperation Programmes at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said that all these reforms should be human-centred, implemented in an atmosphere of openness and integrity, in line with European standards.
Olha Stefanishyna, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine, also welcomed the participants:
“Law enforcement reform was one of the 7 political recommendations of the European Commission, the implementation of which allowed us to take a step towards EU membership. It is a comprehensive review of the work of law enforcement agencies to create an effective, structured system that guarantees balance and access to justice, so that law enforcement agencies can ensure the most important thing – justice – without any obstacles.”
Rolf Holmboe, Head of the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine, noted that the implementation of the Comprehensive Law Enforcement Reform Strategy and its Action Plan is a key requirement for Ukraine’s accession to the EU. He praised the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on this path and assured of unwavering support in the implementation of the Plan.
“We stand in full admiration of Ukraine’s ability to undertake this comprehensive and transformative reform process at the same time as fighting a full-scale war. I doubt that we have ever seen this level of commitment to reform under such circumstances anywhere before! It is an act of resilience and a clear statement of Ukraine’s determination to secure its future in Europe. The challenge is now to roll out the reforms throughout the country and make them deep, lasting, and irreversible. This is the transformative process that will embed Ukraine firmly within the European family of democratic states embodying the values of human rights, democracy, and accountability. I extend my sincere congratulations to the Government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and to all their agencies for the tremendous work already done. We look forward to partnering with you on the way ahead!,” emphasised Rolf Holmboe.
During the conference, Oleksii Serhieiev, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, presented in detail the Action Plan aimed at implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Reforming Law Enforcement as Part of the Security and Defence Sector of Ukraine for 2023-2027, engaging nearly 50 actors. These include government agencies, military administrations, NGOs and academic institutions.
“The successful implementation of this Action Plan will allow us to move to a qualitatively new level of law enforcement. For citizens, this will mean real and tangible changes, and for law enforcement agencies, it will mean a transition to a proactive analytical model of activity, with decisions based on data and risk assessment rather than outdated indicators. It is about building institutions that will operate under unified rules without overlapping functions.”
The event became a platform for constructive dialogue and a demonstration of the unity of efforts of the state, international partners and civil society on the path to European integration. EU representatives reaffirmed their readiness to continue supporting Ukraine in implementing reforms aimed at making the law enforcement system more efficient, transparent and human-centred.
