30 Years of TAIEX: An EU Instrument Driving Systemic Strengthening of Ukraine’s Civil Service

The European Union’s capacity-building instrument TAIEX marks its 30th anniversary. For Ukraine, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms for advancing European standards and strengthening the institutional capacity of the civil service.

TAIEX enables rapid and targeted exchange of expertise between public authorities of EU Member States and partner countries. Its core objective is to support the implementation of European standards in public administration and the alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis.

The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NAUCS) serves as the national coordinator for TAIEX in Ukraine, ensuring structured cooperation with the European Commission and beneficiary public authorities.

From 2006 to February 2026, the implementation of TAIEX in Ukraine has delivered substantial and measurable results. A total of 26,460 public officials have taken part in TAIEX activities. Overall, 1,102 technical assistance events have been carried out. Of these, 885 were initiated by the Ukrainian side, demonstrating a strong institutional capacity to formulate reform-oriented requests, while 217 events were launched at the initiative of the European Commission.

This distribution clearly indicates that TAIEX is applied not in an ad hoc manner, but as a systemic instrument supporting comprehensive and sustained reforms.

TAIEX in Ukraine demonstrates steady progress and spans a broad range of public policy areas. The largest share of activities has been implemented in the following domains: 

• 446 measures in Stronger society and inclusive economy; 
• 279 measures in the Rule of law, migration and security; 
• 244 measures in Green and digital transitions, connectivity; 
• 123 measures in Farm to Fork.

The support formats remain practical and impact-oriented, including expert missions, study visits, and workshops. These formats equip civil servants with applied knowledge and enable the direct integration of European practices into their day-to-day work.

In 2026, the instrument continues to be actively deployed. In the first months of the year alone, 129 representatives of government authorities participated in 7 events, including workshops and study visits.

The high proportion of activities initiated by Ukraine reflects a shift from passive receipt of assistance to proactive reform agenda-setting. This underscores the growing capacity of public institutions to effectively leverage EU instruments in pursuit of strategic objectives.

Through the coordination of NAUCS, TAIEX in Ukraine performs not only an educational function but also serves as a practical mechanism for implementing change. It contributes to the development of a professional civil service, promotes the adoption of European governance approaches, and supports preparations for the EU accession negotiation process.

TAIEX remains a key instrument for supporting reforms, enabling Ukraine to swiftly align with European Union standards and to advance consistently along its path of European integration.