On June 17, an online meeting was held within the framework of the Twinning project, dedicated to strengthening the administrative and regulatory capacity of the National Council. It was attended by First Deputy Chair of the National Council Valentyn Koval, specialists of the media regulator, as well as experts and representatives of regulatory authorities of the European Union member states.
The meeting was focused not on general approaches to reform, but on a specific issue: how to ensure that the powers defined by law operate through clear procedures, proper coordination, quality data, and modern tools.
Opening the meeting, AGCOM representative Maddalena Zambuco emphasized that strengthening administrative capacity means the regulator’s real ability to act. According to her, it is important that the regulator has specialists, well‑structured processes, and tools that allow the powers to be applied in everyday work. That is why experts analyzed the experience of regulators in Greece, France, Germany, and Italy to identify solutions that the National Council can adapt to Ukrainian conditions.
First Deputy Chair of the National Council Valentyn Koval thanked the European partners of the Twinning project, experts, and representatives of regulatory authorities of EU countries for their professional support and willingness to share experience. He noted that for Ukraine, which is simultaneously moving along the path of European integration and resisting Russia’s full‑scale aggression, the institutional capacity of state bodies is of particular importance. He also emphasized the importance of the digital modernization of the National Council and the practical value of recommendations that can be used for the further development of the media regulator.
During the meeting, Lea Stavrou, a representative of CECL, presented a general comparative analysis of EU regulatory models and recommendations for the organizational development of the National Council. She informed about the work carried out within the project, outlined the key findings of the comparative analysis, and focused on recommendations important for further strengthening the work of the Ukrainian media regulator.
The National Council already has a broad legislative mandate in the media sphere; however, the effectiveness of regulation depends on how these powers are implemented in the institution’s work. European experts drew attention to the need for clear workflows, a transparent division of responsibilities among structural units, proper data exchange, and unified approaches to case handling, monitoring, supervision, and the application of sanctions.
Participants also focused on the role of registers and data in modern media regulation. In European practice, a register is a working tool that helps to see the media market, analyze risks, plan monitoring, and make informed decisions. For the National Council, this is particularly relevant in the context of developing the electronic cabinet, electronic register, and moving towards more systematic work with information.
During the discussion, specialists of the National Council reviewed the conclusions of the report, priority areas of development, and possible steps for implementing the recommendations. The focus was on how to combine the existing experience of the National Council with new standardized procedures, risk‑based monitoring, and better coordination among departments.
CECL/EETT representative Ioanna Choudalaki presented comparative practices and organizational solutions of European regulators. She focused on practical mechanisms and explained how workflows are built, how responsible persons are designated, how interaction between departments is ensured, and how the regulator can respond more quickly and accurately to complex issues, particularly in the digital environment.
Representatives of the regulatory authorities AGCOM, NCRTV, DLM, and ARCOM shared their national experience regarding the organization of the regulator’s work, its interaction with telecommunications bodies, platforms, other state institutions, and international partners.
National Council specialists, together with European experts, also discussed challenges related to platforms, digital services, and artificial intelligence. Participants noted that modern media regulation is increasingly shifting from responding to individual violations to continuous risk analysis, data management, and coordination with other actors in the digital environment. For the National Council, this means the need to gradually develop new expertise while maintaining legal certainty, procedural transparency, and the protection of human rights.
Following the meeting, participants identified how the recommendations prepared under Component 2 of the Twinning project can be used in the further work of the National Council. This primarily concerns specific areas: clearer internal procedures, better coordination among departments, more effective use of data, development of electronic tools, and consistent application of the media regulator’s powers.
Such an approach will help the National Council gradually improve its work, taking into account European experience and the needs of the Ukrainian media market.
