The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) has received an official response from the Secretariat of the EU Transparency Register to its request

The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) has received an official response from the Secretariat of the European Union Transparency Register, which confirms that Ukrainian organizations have equal access to interaction with EU institutions, provided they are registered in the Transparency Register, on a par with organizations from member states.

The response emphasizes that the requirements of the Transparency Register do not discriminate on a geographical basis and apply equally to organizations from the EU and third countries, including Ukraine. This means that Ukrainian professional associations, think tanks, and industry associations can legitimately engage in a dialogue with European institutions during the period of preparation and negotiation of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

According to the Transparency Register, more than 90 organizations headquartered in Ukraine have already been registered there, which indicates the growth of the country’s institutional presence in Brussels against the backdrop of European integration processes.

“The response of the Secretariat of the Transparency Register confirms that Ukrainian organizations can already work within the same procedures as European ones. This creates the basis for systematic participation of Ukrainian civil society and professional communities in the negotiation process,” said Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the UNLA Board.

“As negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU begin and develop, the issue of legitimate access to European institutions becomes a key one. Confirmation of equal rules for Ukrainian organizations is an important signal of Ukraine’s inclusion in the pan-European decision-making space,” said UNLA representative Oleksandr Kamenets.

The UNLA notes that transparent and institutionalized interaction between Ukrainian organizations and EU bodies is of particular importance at the negotiation stage, when future obligations, transition periods, and conditions for Ukraine’s integration into the EU internal market are being formed.

At the same time, the UNLA clarifies that registration in the Transparency Register is a necessary procedural condition for official contacts with European decision-makers, but does not replace or substitute for formal mechanisms of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which are regulated by separate intergovernmental and institutional procedures.

The UNLA believes that establishing a professional, transparent dialogue between Ukrainian organizations and EU institutions at the current stage of negotiations will allow Ukraine to more effectively protect its interests and prepare for future membership in the European Union.