Europe Without Barriers

Who we are:

“Europe Without Barriers” (EWB) was established in 2009 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Since then we perform simultaneously as classic think tank and civic organization doing analytics, monitoring, advocacy and informing.

Activities of the organization are aimed at facilitating and promoting human right for freedom of movement and support of significant reforms in the fields of European integration, rule of law, migration and border management, transport, protection of personal data, public order and combating discrimination.

Expertize of the organization was used during preparation of the Agreement on Visa Facilitation (2009 – 2014), Agreements on Local Border Traffic with Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, the National Action Plan for Visa Liberalization (2010-2014), Ukraine’s Migration Profile (2011), Conception of State Migration Policy (2013 – 2014), New Agenda between Ukraine and the EU on Justice, Freedom and Security (2018), Strategy of Integrated Border Mangement (2019).

“Europe without Barriers” is a co-founder of the Ukrainian Think Tanks Liaison Office in Brussels, a member of the Public Council under the State Migration Service, a member of the “Reanimation Package of Reforms” coalition, and in 2016 EWB was elected to lead the international coalition “Visa-Free Europe”. Executive Director of the organization, a leading Ukrainian expert on domestic policy and security Iryna Sushko was elected in 2015 as a National Coordinator of the Ukrainian National Platform of Civil Society Forum of Eastern Partnership countries.

“Europe without barriers” has sustainable liaisons and performs common activities with partner public institutions, think tanks, non-governmental organizations and media in Kyiv as well as in more than 10 regions of Ukraine, Eastern Partnership countries and European Union.

What we stand for:

The mission of “Europe without Barriers” is to find a new balance between freedom of movement and security (national and human security) in an effort to see Europe without barriers and Ukraine being a part of this Europe.

Our priorities are European integration, freedom of movement, human rights, proper governance in spheres of ,igration and border management.

Our aim is to see the world, where:

    • Ukraine is a safe and friendly country
    • Ukrainians use the visa-free entry to the EU, which is backed by statistics of mobility, the number of visa-free countries increases
    • The risks of restoring the visa regime with the EU are eliminated
    • Stability of reforms within the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisationis achieved
    • Ukraine meets obligations in the field of asylum refugee, anti-corruption, and anti-discrimination
    • A public discourse that opposes a fear of immigrants was created and is maintained
    • Ukraine successfully overcomes the challenges caused by the conflict in particular regarding IDPs and border control
    • Ukraine successfully uses existing political and legal instruments of freedom of movement including the Association Agreement, the Common Aviation Area Agreement with the EU, etc
    • The queues and corruption factors at the Ukrainian borders with the EU are overcome
    • Control and security on Eastern border are strengthened. Ukraine effectively introduces new rules of border crossing for foreigners, including citizens of Russian Federation. Balance between human rights and security is being kept

More information on our mission and vision in “Strategy” section

What we do:

Projects of the organization are mainly focused on the following areas:

Monitoring as a modern form of public control

  • Conducting systematic monitoring of administrative practices that determine the conditions of freedom of movement and cross-border communications in Eastern Europe
  • Monitoring of the Government implementation of the tasks provided by the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, as well as the Visa Liberalization Action Plan
  • Monitoring of visa practices of Schengen States consulates
  • Monitoring the practice of issuing passports
  • Monitoring the availability of services for vulnerable social groups
  • Monitoring of media and its discourse towards issues relating to EWB priorities

Analysis and expert opinions

  • Independent expert evaluation of international agreements, regulations, primarily between Ukraine and the EU on security and freedom of movement
  • Analysis of legislative and institutional changes envisaged by the Association Agreement in regards to the movement of persons and migration management and Visa Liberalization Action Plan
  • Preparation of recommendations for the relevant institutions of Ukraine and the EU in certain areas of European integration

Advocacy activities

  • Conducting public events (debates, press conferences, round tables) on the most pressing European integration and human rights issues
  • Distribution of reliable and balanced information in Ukrainian media on the implementation of reforms envisaged by the Visa Liberalization Action Plan (VLAP) and Association Agreement; conditions of correct using visa-free regime
  • Trainings and educational activities to increase capacities of regional NGOs and media
  • Active support for reforms in areas where there is apparent stagnation, overcoming discrimination, identification documents reform, the fight against corruption. Expanding support for relevant reforms in the parliament and in the institutions of executive branch
  • Development and advocacy of legislative acts

More information on current activities of Europe without Barriers in “Projects” and “News” sections

01030 Kyiv, Ukraine
10H, Pyrohova str.
tel./fax: +38 (044) 238 68 43, 230 83 76
office.europewb@gmail.com

This website has been created under the Ukrainian Think Tank Development Initiative implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation (IRF) in partnership with the Think Tank Fund (TTF), and funded by the Swedish Embassy (SIDA). The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of CO "Europe without barriers". (С) 2009-2020 CO "Europe without barriers". All rights reserved
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