Digitalization and Eurointegration: Presentation of Fisheries Reform in the Face of Global Challenges

In the last decade of April 2024, Natalia Vdovenko, Head of the Department of Global Economics, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Honored Worker of Agriculture of Ukraine, took part in a presentation of the fisheries reform, where not only plans for further work but also the risks of the industry from the proposed changes were discussed. The forum presented the main aspects of the reform: creating conditions for synergy between government, business, and society through the introduction of digitalization tools, establishing a liberal business environment that ensures a competitive environment, and ensuring the food security of the state. The process of Eurointegration stimulates and adjusts changes in fisheries.

The forum raised important business issues such as asset privatization, introduction of fish processing, and scientific support for aquaculture. Suggestions and wishes regarding the acceleration of changes, especially in legislation and business support, particularly financial, were expressed during the panel discussion by forum participants.

One of the key elements of the industry reform is digitalization, the beginning of which was laid by the adoption of Law No. 2989-IX. The document finally established electronic auctions for the right to special use of water bioresources in fisheries water bodies. Competitive contract sales ensure equal access to a shared natural resource for every business. Thus, the industry is being demonopolized, and the market is emerging from the shadows.

It should be noted that in 2023, electronic auctions brought in 95 million hryvnias to the state and local budgets, and in the first two months of 2024 – 45 million hryvnias. Before the reform, the amount of revenue from special use did not exceed 13 million hryvnias per year. In addition to auctions, the document introduced the Unified State Electronic Fisheries Management System – eFish, which will allow entrepreneurs to receive state services and permits online. Thus, the task of creating transparent conditions for access to natural resources is being fulfilled. More about the event and speeches by Vitaliy Holovnyi, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, Acting Chairman of the State Fisheries Agency, Danilo Molchanov, Head of the USAID/UK Dev Project "Support for Digital Transformation," and other participants of the event can be found here: [link](https://brdo.com.ua/news/reforma-rybnogo-gospodarstva-mozhe-prynosyty-u…). Recording of the reform presentation online broadcast: [link](https://fb.watch/rDitoqpYTm/) The organizers of the event are the Office of Effective Regulation BRDO, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the State Agency of Ukraine for Melioration, Fisheries, and Food Programs Development, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and other international and domestic organizations related to the reform of the fisheries sector of Ukraine. Korobova Nataliia, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Global Economics, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine