1Council Decision (EU) 2026/618 of 16 March 2026 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EU-Ukraine Association Council established by the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part, as regards the establishment of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee and the endorsement of the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine

Council Decision (EU) 2026/618 of 16 March 2026 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EU-Ukraine Association Council established by the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part, as regards the establishment of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee and the endorsement of the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Association Agreement between the Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part OJ L 161, 29.5.2014, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2014/295/oj. (the Agreement) entered into force on 1 September 2017. (2) The Preamble to the Agreement affirms the Parties’ commitment to advancing reforms and approximation processes in Ukraine, based on common values. (3) Under the Agreement, the Parties are to engage in various forms of dialogue and cooperation, including political dialogue in all areas of mutual interest, dialogue and cooperation on domestic reforms, cooperation in the management of public finances, and cooperation in the field of regional policy. (4) Pursuant to their obligation to engage in dialogue and cooperation, the Parties wish to establish a sub-committee on public administration reform under the Agreement and endorse the establishment of a joint consultative committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine. (5) The Agreement provides that the Association Council may decide to set up any special committee or body in specific areas necessary for the implementation of the Agreement. (6) The Association Council is to decide on the establishment of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee and is to endorse the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf within the EU-Ukraine Association Council shall be to support the establishment of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee and the endorsement of the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine, and shall be based on the draft decision of the Association Council attached to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 16 March 2026.

For the Council The President K. Kallas DRAFT DECISION No …/2026 OF THE EU-UKRAINE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL of … as regards the establishment of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee under the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine of the other part, and the endorsement of the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local authorities and regional authorities of Ukraine THE EU-UKRAINE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL, Having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part (the Agreement), and in particular Article 463, in conjunction with Article 466, thereof, RECOGNISING that Public Administration Reform (PAR) is crucial for Ukraine’s convergence with the EU, and that dialogue and cooperation between local authorities in the EU and in Ukraine provide an integral contribution to the development of their relations, RECALLING the Council’s conclusions on Enlargement of 17 December 2024 in which the Council noted that progress in the areas of rule of law and judicial and public administration reform remains vital for strengthening Ukraine’s resilience. RECALLING that Ukraine completed the screening process, including on Public Administration Reform, on 30 September 2025, ACKNOWLEDGING that the establishment of an Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee represents an important step forward in strengthening relations between the EU and Ukraine and enhancing their policy dialogue in that crucial area, and that the endorsement of the establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine (the Joint Consultative Committee) would strengthen direct dialogue between them, NOTING that the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee will serve as a platform for strategic policy dialogue and will facilitate discussions and coordination on key reforms in the area of public administration and that it will play a central role in monitoring of the Public Administration Reform roadmap implementation and providing guidance to ensure alignment with EU standards and best practices; and that the Joint Consultative Committee would serve as a platform to share the EU best practices on local and regional governance and matters linked to the implementation of the Association Agreement at the territorial level, thus providing a consistent and a stable form of cooperation with the elected local and regional authorities of Ukraine and allowing them to have an active role by co-leading the Joint Consultative Committee and co-shaping its agenda, and issuing recommendations. Whereas: (1) Pursuant to Article 463 of the Agreement, the Association Council has the power to take decisions for the purpose of attaining the objectives of the Agreement.

(2) Pursuant to Article 466(2) of the Agreement, the Association Council may decide to set up any special committee or body in specific areas necessary for the implementation of the Agreement, and is to determine the composition, duties and functioning of such bodies. (3) In order to allow for expert-level discussions on the key areas falling within the scope of the Agreement, the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee and the Joint Consultative Committee should be established, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee

1. A Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee is hereby established.
2. The Rules of Procedure of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee shall be governed by, and applied mutatis mutandis in accordance with, Article 16 of the Rules of Procedure of the Association Committee set out in Annex II to Decision No 1/2014 of 15 December 2014 of the EU-Ukraine Association Council.
3. The scope of the Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee may, upon mutual agreement of the Parties, be amended or otherwise modified.

Article 2

Joint Consultative Committee

1. The establishment of the Joint Consultative Committee, comprised by an equal number of representatives of the European Committee of the Regions, on the one hand, and elected representatives of local and regional authorities of Ukraine, on the other hand, is hereby endorsed.
2. The Joint Consultative Committee shall, on its own initiative, carry out its activities with a view to promoting dialogue and fostering cooperation between the local and regional authorities.
3. The Joint Consultative Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
4. The Joint Consultative Committee may submit recommendations to the Association Council.
5. Expenditure related to meetings of the Joint Consultative Committee, including organisational arrangements, participation of their delegates and support staff, as well as travel and subsistence expenses, shall be borne by the European Committee of the Regions and by the Government of Ukraine.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at …, … For the Association Council The Chair