Together with a coalition of civil society organisations, the Agency for Legislative Initiatives is launching a new cycle of monitoring and evaluation of Ukraineʼs European integration progress. The results will be reflected in the 2026 Shadow Report. Traditionally, the report will cover chapters 23, ‘Justice and Fundamental Rightsʼ, and 24, ‘Justice, Freedom and Securityʼ. This year, experts will also analyse a new section of the ‘Fundamentalsʼ cluster: ‘Functioning of Democratic Institutionsʼ.
The Shadow Report is a purely civil society product, regardless of its sources of support. In order to strengthen the institutional integrity of the process, we are introducing a new approach this year: the Shadow Report will be funded by independent civil society organisations. The Agency for Legislative Initiatives and Transparency International Ukraine will cover a significant share of the resources needed for the report’s production. As it does every year, the ALI is taking on the mission of ensuring maximum impartiality and independence in the preparation process. We have been able to maintain the stability and expand the coalition, which contributes to a comprehensive and in-depth analysis. This year, the Civil Network Opora and the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law have also joined the team working on the report. The coalition now consists of nine civil society organisations.
This year, the Shadow Report is being prepared by experts from the following organisations: the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, Transparency International Ukraine, the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, Tomorrow’s Lawyer, Europe Without Barriers, the Ukrainian Bar Association, the Civil Network Opora, and the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law. The report is being produced with media support from European Pravda.
This report will encompass the following:
- A descriptive overview of the current state of democratic institutions and the progress of reforms in this area, along with recommendations from the standpoint of civil society.
- An assessment of Ukraine’s progress under chapters 23 and 24 since the release of the European Commission’s 2025 Report on Ukraine’s progress within the European Union Enlargement Package, considering the recommendations from previous Shadow Reports.
- A detailed analysis of the issues arising from the reform process in each of the chapters covered.
The 2026 Shadow Report will feature a separate section containing the coalition’s specific recommendations on how to address the issues highlighted in each area. These recommendations will serve as guidelines for future government policies in these areas.
As is customary, this year’s Shadow Report will be released on the eve of the European Commission’s Report on Ukraine’s progress within the EU’s Enlargement Package in 2026.
Background
The production of shadow reports is standard practice for countries seeking to join the European Union. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia and Moldova, independent coalitions of civil society organisations have conducted alternative monitoring of reform progress in areas such as the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions for years. Ukraine has systematically carried out such work since 2024, when a coalition of civil society organisations first prepared an alternative analysis to the European Commission’s report on Ukraine’s progress within the European Union’s Enlargement Package.
The Shadow Report delivers an independent, alternative analysis of public policy and how effectively the candidate country is complying with its obligations to the EU. Conducted by relevant experts from civil society organisations, it is a systematic audit that does not duplicate official state documents or the European Commission’s assessment. Rather, it is a tool for civic oversight and expert engagement in the reform process. At the same time, it evaluates the extent to which Ukrainian legislation and the entire system meet EU standards. One of the Shadow Report’s tasks is to flag gaps and encourage the effective implementation of changes.
