«With us — to Europe»: Italian advocacy supports UNBA initiatives

On January 30, a meeting was held in Rome between a delegation from the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the National Bar Council of Italy (Consiglio Nazionale Forense, CNF) on the standards and practices of the legal profession and their significance for Ukraine's European integration process.

The meeting took place within the framework of the Roadmap on the rule of law, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 14, 2025, No. 475-r.

The Ukrainian delegation included the President of the UNBA Lidiya Izovitova, her Vice President Valentin Gvozdiy, the UNBA's leading expert on European integration Hanna Udovenko and the UNBA's representative in Rome Graziano Benedetto. The Italian side was represented by CNF President Francesco Greco, advisors Daniela Giuraudo, Francesco Pizzuto, Francesco Napoli, Lucia Secchi Tarugi and CNF representative in the delegation of the Board of Bar Associations and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) Carlo Forte.

During the conversation, the participants discussed the organization of bar self-government bodies, as well as the practical challenges faced daily by about 70,000 Ukrainian advocates.

«We welcomed Ukrainian advocates on Ukraine's path to joining the European Union. After meetings in Germany and France, as well as in Brussels, today's visit to Rome gave the Ukrainian advocacy association an opportunity to exchange views with three leading European bar associations and gather proposals on the fundamental principles of our profession», - said the head of the CNF, as reported by the Italian bar association newspaper il Dubbio.

In the article «CNF opens its doors to Ukrainian advocates: «With us — to Europe», journalists remind us that after Ukraine submitted its application for EU membership, the European Commission provided recommendations on the necessary reforms, particularly in the field of justice. In this regard, the Ukrainian National Bar Association created a working group involving, in particular, members of parliament to develop legislative changes and implement the recommendations of the European Commission. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine formed its own group without the participation of the advocacy community. The authors of the article link this to a violation of United Nations standards, according to which members must be involved in the process of determining new rules for professional associations. However, the UNBA decided «not to dramatize the situation», given the personnel uncertainty in the Ministry of Justice after the resignation of Herman Halushchenko amid an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine in November last year.

«It was a discussion about best legal practices between Italian and Ukrainian advocates, - said D. Giuraudo. - Italy must share and support their development, drawing on the strength and depth of its legal culture».