Commission`s Opinion – EU acquis Chapter 25

Moderately prepared (3)

Ukraine is moderately prepared in the area of science and research. The country participates in the EU R&I programmes and seeks greater integration into the European Research Area, but its national R&I activities and technological absorption capacity remain limited due to insufficient funding, ineffective disbursement mechanisms (for example lack of competitive calls) and fragmented governance. The number of scientists is in decline, and the outflow of researchers is much higher than the inflow. There is a need for a strategy to retain and attract R&I talent in particular from the diaspora, support researchers’ careers and invest in research infrastructure. While Ukraine has relevant legislation to improve its R&I system, its implementation has yet to provide tangible results.