Забезпечення верховентсва права як умова вступу України до ЄС: загальноправовий аспект

Abstract

Статтю присвячено комплексному дослідженню верховенства права як однієї з ключових умов вступу України до ЄС та аналізу його загальноправового змісту в умовах сучасних трансформацій державності. Підкреслено суперечність між нормативним закріпленням принципу та недостатністю його втілення, що зумовлено потребою в судовій реформі, слабкістю антикорупційних інституцій і низьким рівнем правової культури. Розглянуто вплив воєнного стану на дотримання пропорційності та правової визначеності. Зроблено висновок про необхідність якісного інституційного оновлення для відповідності європейським стандартам правової державності. The article deals with a comprehensive study of the rule of law as one of the key conditions for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and to an analysis of its general legal content in the context of contemporary transformations of Ukrainian statehood. The focus is placed on the contradiction between the normative consolidation of the rule of law and the incompleteness of its practical implementation, which is caused by a number of systemic factors: the need for further judicial reform, insufficient institutional capacity of anti-corruption bodies, instability of law enforcement practice, and a low level of legal culture. It is emphasized that the absence of unified criteria for assessing the level of adherence to the rule of law complicates the objective evaluation of Ukraine’s progress on the path toward European integration. The article highlights that the rule of law functions not only as a theoretical and legal foundation but also as a system-forming value that determines the legitimacy of a democratic state and the effectiveness of its legal system. Despite the existence of an extensive normative framework, the institutional implementation of this principle remains incomplete, and the legal system continues to undergo institutional formation. Particular attention is paid to the impact of martial law on the realization of the rule of law, especially the need to ensure proportionality, legal certainty, and the inviolability of natural human rights under temporary restrictions. The study underscores the importance of ensuring the independence of the judiciary, strengthening the integrity of judges and prosecutors, improving internal control mechanisms, and enhancing the role of civil society in promoting transparency and accountability of public authorities. It concludes that Ukraine’s successful European integration requires a shift from formal reforms to qualitative institutional renewal aimed at the real effectiveness of legal norms and internal coherence between the normative, institutional, and value dimensions of the rule of law. Such a model of development will enable Ukraine to meet the European criteria of the rule-of-law state and integrate into the EU legal space as a full-fledged participant.