UNBA and BRAK discussed European integration priorities and regulation of the profession

On January 26, a meeting was held between representatives of the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the German Federal Bar Association (Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer, BRAK).

The meeting was attended by BRAK Vice President Andre Haug, who joined online, and representative of the international department Katharina von Schack. The Ukrainian side informed their colleagues about approaches to regulating the profession in Ukraine and key issues that the UNBA is pursuing in the context of European integration.

The meeting focused on the tasks of the Roadmap on the rule of law, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 14, 2025, No. 475-r, and the role of the UNBA in its implementation in relation to advocacy. The President of the UNBA, BCU Lidiya Izovitova spoke about the association's approaches to implementing the relevant points of the Roadmap and the UNBA's vision of the institutional role of bar self-government in this process.

The German side expressed its readiness to participate in the working group established by the BCU decision of 12 December 2025 No. 125, as well as to assist in adapting Ukrainian legislation and advocacy institutions to the EU acquis.

It is noteworthy that on the day of the meeting between the UNBA and BRAK, Germany signed the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. At the same time, Ukraine, whose representative was directly involved in the development of this international treaty, has not yet done so.

The obstacles existing in our country were outlined by the UNBA's leading expert on European integration Hanna Udovenko. She also spoke about the harmonization of national approaches with the EU acquis, in particular with regard to EU directives.

The Vice President of the UNBA, BCU Valentin Gvozdiy raised the issue of the dissemination of incomplete or distorted information about the Ukrainian bar at the international level. In particular, he spoke about the activities of public organizations that are trying to replace the Ukrainian National Bar Association in communications with international partners, as well as the practice of using «shadow» reports to convey false information to European institutions.

The participants of the meeting discussed the European Commission's Report on Ukraine within the Enlargement Package and the issue of internal regulation of the profession in separate blocks. The Ukrainian side explained the specifics of the procedure for paying annual contributions, the requirements for improving professional standards, and the approaches to disciplinary procedures.

BRAK is an umbrella organization of 28 regional bar associations in Germany and, as such, has been representing the interests of approximately 166,000 German advocates (Rechtsanwälte) at the national, European, and international levels for over 60 years.