European rules for Ukrainian tenders: what the courts are preparing for

On 8–9 June 2026 in Odesa, judges from local and appellate commercial and administrative courts took part in a training course entitled ‘Judicial proceedings in public procurement disputes in the context of Ukraine’s European integration’, organised by the National School of Judges of Ukraine with the support of the EU4PFM Project.

The event was moderated by Liubov Honchar, Head of the Teacher (Trainer) Training Department at the National School of Judges, and Oleksandr Shatkovskyi, Senior Legal Expert at the EU Programme for Public Finance Management in Ukraine (EU4PFM).

Over the course of two action-packed days, participants discussed topical issues in the field of public procurement: ranging from the harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with European Union law to the practice of the Supreme Court, the activities of the appeal body and the exercise of state financial control.

Discussions on the application of EU law and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union by Ukrainian courts were of particular interest, as were the examination of cases concerning anti-competitive concerted practices in procurement, the exercise of state financial control in the field of public procurement, the practice of the Appeals Body of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, as well as amendments to the essential terms of contracts in the light of European standards.

Practical exercises and the analysis of real-life case studies enabled participants not only to deepen their knowledge but also to exchange professional experience.

The training session served as a platform for open dialogue between judges and speakers from the Supreme Court, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, the State Audit Service of Ukraine and experts from the EU4PFM Project. Such professional dialogue helps to develop a consistent approach to resolving disputes in the field of public procurement and strengthens the judiciary’s capacity to respond effectively to the challenges posed by European integration processes.

The event reaffirmed that high-quality justice in the field of public procurement is a key component of the transparent use of public funds and of bringing Ukraine closer to European governance standards.