At the National University of Ostroh Academy, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Doctor of Law, met with participants to discuss the draft of a new version of the Civil Code of Ukraine and Ukraine’s civil legislation in the context of European integration, technological change, and future post-war recovery.
The dialogue brought together representatives of the authorities, the academic community, and students from higher education institutions in the Rivne region. It took the form of an open discussion, allowing students to ask questions, share their views, and discuss specific provisions of the future Code.
Participants discussed the opportunities and risks of updating civil legislation, preserving legal continuity, and harmonising the Ukrainian legal tradition with European Union law and European standards.
Particular attention was paid to the language of modern law. It was noted that European integration should not be reduced to translation or the mechanical transposition of legal concepts. Accurate, organic Ukrainian legal terminology is important for preserving Ukraine’s legal tradition.
The main challenges facing modern civil law include digitalisation, rapid technological development, the emergence of new forms of ownership and assets, and cross-border relations.
The participants also discussed how flexible the new Civil Code should be. The document must meet society's current needs and remain effective amid rapid technological, economic, and social change. This issue is especially significant in view of Ukraine’s future post-war recovery.
Students’ questions concerned digitalisation, the European legal system, and the way the new Code should address challenges that civil legislation had not previously faced.
Yaroslaw Romanchuk, a student of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Information Technology and Business at the NaUOA, pointed to the challenges that technological development poses for legislation:
«Today, technology is developing at an extraordinary pace, and new digital assets and new ways of interaction between people and businesses are emerging. That is why I was especially interested to hear how these changes are planned to be taken into account in the new Civil Code. It is important that legislation not only respond to what already exists but also be flexible enough to accommodate technologies and relationship models that have yet to emerge.»
Sofiia Shlai, a student of the Ioanykii Malynovskyi Educational and Scientific Institute of Law at the NaUOA, noted the importance of combining European legal experience with the Ukrainian legal tradition:
«For us, law students, the opportunity to talk about the future of Ukrainian legislation with those who are directly working on its changes is especially valuable. Ukraine is moving toward the European Union, so harmonising legislation is necessary. At the same time, it is important that we do not lose our own legal tradition and that European experience work organically in the Ukrainian context.»
«We were talking about a Code that is meant to remain in force for many years, so it is important to think not only about today’s problems but also about what Ukraine will look like after the war. Restoring the state, bringing people back, developing business, and establishing new property relations: all of this will require clear and modern legal mechanisms. For me, it was important to see that students’ opinions can also be part of such a discussion,».
The opportunity to put questions d, a student of the Ioanykii Malynovskyi Educational and Scientific Institute of Law at the National University of Ostroh Academy, speaking about her impressions of the dialogue with Ruslan Stefanchuk.irectly to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and take part in the discussion became one of the key features of the meeting. For students, this was a chance to see law not only as a system of norms in textbooks and legal acts, but also as a living process shaped by professional discussion, argument, and the search for balance among different interests.
Ostroh Academy has traditionally provided a space for discussing issues of national importance and for young people to meet with public figures and experts. Such experience helps students take a broader view of social processes and recognise their role in Ukraine’s future.
