Ukraine has become a cooperating country of the European Environment Agency (EEA) and its European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet), the EEAS announced on 18 June 2026. The EEA Management Board formally endorsed Ukraine's status, making it the eighth cooperating country, alongside Moldova and six Western Balkan partners. The move aims to support Ukraine in building institutional and technical foundations for future Eionet integration and to facilitate its progressive participation in EEA systems and knowledge platforms.
The decision builds on earlier project-based collaboration between the EEA and Ukraine from 2010 to 2020, as well as Ukraine's participation as a Contracting Party to the Energy Community since 2011. It is grounded in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the EU enlargement framework. Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was granted candidate status in June 2022. The EEA Management Board agreed to grant cooperating country status with dedicated funding from the European Commission.
Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, welcomed the step as an important day for Ukraine, noting that cooperation with the EEA will help improve environmental monitoring and information systems and implement EU environmental legislation. Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, praised Ukraine's commitment to European integration and called the cooperation a practical investment in the continent's environmental resilience. EEA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen highlighted that environmental challenges know no borders and that joint work on monitoring, data, and assessment will be a key part of the cooperation. André Weidenhaupt, Chair of the EEA Management Board, said Ukraine's participation strengthens collective efforts and provides vital support as the country works to protect and restore its environment amid the ongoing war.
The cooperation aims to provide a roadmap for environmental data reporting in line with approximation to the EU environmental acquis. Cooperating countries contribute to and benefit from shared environmental data, assessments, and capacity-building activities. The EEA's country network now includes 32 member countries (27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and Türkiye) and 8 cooperating countries.
For Ukraine, the status offers access to EU environmental data and expertise, supporting its EU accession process and post-war environmental recovery. The EEA and Eionet gain a broader data pool and enhanced regional assessment capacity. EU member states benefit from improved environmental monitoring of a neighbouring country whose environmental damage from the war has cross-border effects. The European Commission sees its investment in enlargement and environmental resilience advanced through structured cooperation.