From 26-28 January 2026, EU4Green Recovery East enabled the Ukrainian National Focal Point for the European Environment Agency (EEA) of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, Mr. Bohdan Semenenko, to attend the presentation of the European State of the Environment Report (SOER) 2025 in Vienna on 27th January 2026. The event was hosted by the Austrian Minister of Environment, Norbert Totschnig, the Director of the European Environment Agency, Leena Ylä-Mononen, and the Director of the Environment Agency Austria, Verena Ehold. The presentations also highlighted how sharing reliable environmental data across Europe contributes to evidence-based decision-making in terms of sustainability, resilience, and environmental policy.
Mr. Bohdan Semenenko was accompanied by Mrs. Yuliia Hrytsak, the Head of the Unit for International Cooperation in Environment and Natural Resources, who is responsible for the transposition of the EU acquis in the context of Ukraine’s process of EU accession.
The visit of both representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture also allowed for a meeting with the Directors of the Environment Agency Austria and for rare in-person technical dialogue on the support to the transposition of the EU acquis in the environment sphere.
Jointly with experts of the Environment Agency Austria, the Ukrainian delegation furthermore explored how closer cooperation with the European Union and with environmental data networks, particularly the European Information and Observation Network (EIONET), can strengthen national environmental governance, improve data sharing among Ukraine’s environmental institutions, and support evidence-based policy making. This engagement reflects Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to align with European standards and integrate environmental considerations into future decisions.
