THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION STRESSES THE NEED TO REFORM THE BAR

On 4 November 2026, the European Commission published its annual Enlargement Package, including its report on Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership. The reform of the Bar is once again among the priorities Ukraine is expected to deliver on in the coming year.

Last year’s recommendations still not fully implemented

The Commission notes that its recommendations from last year were partially met and remain valid. In the coming year, Ukraine should in particular reform the legal profession by modernising governance, improving access to the profession, raising qualification and admission standards, and strengthening disciplinary and financial accountability. The Commission also calls on Ukraine to advance the reforms of legal education and the National School of Judges.

Preparatory steps taken, but work on the substance has stalled

The report acknowledges that the Cabinet of Ministers took preparatory steps to reform the legal profession, including through the set-up of a multi-stakeholder working group in January 2026, led by the Ministry of Justice. At the same time, the Commission stresses that work on the substance needs to resume to ensure meaningful change and to develop legislative amendments that emerge from broad, constructive consultations.

The Commission identifies the key areas of the reform:

  • the transparent, credible election of the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA) governance bodies;
  • improved access to the legal profession;
  • better qualification and admission standards;
  • more disciplinary accountability;
  • robust financial oversight;
  • continuous training.

Disciplinary proceedings in question

The Commission pays particular attention to disciplinary practice. According to the report, questions remain on the fairness and consistency of disciplinary proceedings initiated by the UNBA and regional bar associations. This affects lawyers, including members of the High Council of Justice (HCJ) and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ), and could undermine the independence of the legal profession and judicial governance bodies. These are complaints initiated by the Bar Council of Ukraine against lawyers who have suspended their practice and hold positions in the HCJ and the HQCJ.

The Commission’s findings echo the problems highlighted by Tomorrow’s Lawyer in its Shadow Report:

  • the lack of transparency in how the Bar’s self-governing bodies are formed;
  • the absence of public financial reporting;
  • the selective use of disciplinary mechanisms.

The full text of the report is available on the European Commission’s website: Ukraine Report 2026.

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