95% of surveyed businesses are fully or partially ready to work in the EU market

The results of a survey among EBA member companies demonstrate that companies are overwhelmingly ready for the conditions of work in the European Union market. Thus, 31% believe that they are fully prepared to operate in the EU, 38% are mostly ready, and 26% are partially ready. Only 5% are mostly not ready to work according to European rules and standards.

At the same time, 44% of survey respondents highly appreciated the level of awareness of EU rules and requirements in their company. In 35% of companies, the level of awareness is average, in 11% - below average, and in another 11% - initial.

The majority of the surveyed companies, namely 71%, positively assess the impact of Ukraine's European integration on their business, while 21% do not feel any impact, and 8% assess this impact as negative. It is worth noting that 83% of businesses are ready to contribute to the development of Ukraine's negotiating position on EU accession.

Assessments of the overall progress in fulfilling Ukraine's European integration commitments are more polarized. In general, 52% of respondents believe that Ukraine's progress in this area is satisfactory, and 5% believe it is significant. At the same time, the remaining 42% assess Ukraine's European integration efforts as insignificant, and 2% believe that there has been no progress at all.

In terms of specific areas, respondents see the greatest progress in digital transformation and media, transport policy, agriculture, and rural development. Ukraine has made the least progress in the areas of judiciary and fundamental rights; justice, freedom and security.

According to the survey participants, the best dialogue on European integration issues among public authorities is with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2.92 points), followed by other central executive bodies (2.81 points), the Verkhovna Rada (2.53 points), and local authorities (2.46 points out of 5).

According to the business community, Ukraine's low institutional capacity, including lack of resources and professional staff, insufficient expertise among public authorities, the public, and business, and lack of political will, hinders faster fulfillment of its European integration commitments.

According to 39% of respondents, it will take Ukraine 5 to 10 years to become a full member of the EU. Another 30% believe that we will be able to join the EU within the next 5 years, and 26% assume that it will take more than 10 years.

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The survey was conducted from June 25 to August 22, 2024 among EBA member companies. Among the surveyed companies, 59% supply goods or services to the EU market, 58% import goods or services from the EU market, and 8% plan to enter the market.