On October 23-25, the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) is participating in a bilateral meeting between Ukraine and the European Commission as part of the official screening process under the Justice, Freedom and Security negotiating chapter. This is a crucial part of the negotiation process on Ukraine's accession to the EU.

The event is coordinated by Olga Stefanishyna, Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine, and moderated by Lyudmyla Sugak, Deputy Minister of Justice for European Integration. The Ukrainian delegation will present to the European partners the state of affairs, progress and plans for improvement in various areas.

Vladyslav Zhornytskyi, Head of Department of International Cooperation and European Integration, presented to the European Commission representatives the area 1.4. “Confiscation, freezing of property and financial sanctions”, in which he touched upon the issue of comprehensive reform of ARMA, as well as the implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Asset Recovery Strategy for 2024-2025.

It should be noted that the Agency has been transformed over the past year and is not resting on its laurels. Vladyslav Zhornytskyi told the European partners about ARMA's legislative initiatives, including the rules on international legal assistance. The implementation of which will significantly affect the effectiveness of the return of seized assets abroad.

The presentation also highlighted the peculiarities of management and sale of seized assets, close cooperation with law enforcement agencies and publicity of the Seized Assets Register.

It is worth reminding that bilateral screening sessions are an important stage in the negotiation process on Ukraine's accession to the EU. Based on their results, the European Commission will prepare a report on the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with European standards, which will determine the next steps for Ukraine's full integration into the European Union.

More than 300 Ukrainian experts are taking part in the hybrid events. The meetings are devoted to discussing a wide range of issues in the field of justice and internal affairs, where an effective system of management of seized assets is one of the key elements.