Legal support for environmental protection in Ukraine and EU countries

The purpose of this study was to characterise and compare the legal mechanisms for regulating environmental protection in Ukraine and the European Union. The study examined in detail the key regulations that ensure environmental safety and assessed their effectiveness in the context of current environmental challenges. A comparative analysis of the national environmental legislation of Ukraine and the EU countries revealed key differences and similarities in approaches to legal regulation of environmental protection. Particular attention was paid to the harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with European standards within the framework of European integration processes. The study analysed environmental standards in Ukraine and other EU countries, such as France, Sweden, Italy, where environmental law is codified in environmental codes, as well as in Germany, where it is based on environmental principles. The study examined the legal regulation of environmental safety in the EU, and its specific features were identified based on the regulatory documents of European environmental protection programmes. The study emphasised the role of environmental safety in the EU environmental policy and concluded on the necessity of harmonising it with European requirements, since national legislation does not have a unified approach to this complex legal category. In Ukraine, environmental safety issues are regulated at both the constitutional and regulatory levels, while in the EU these issues are addressed mainly at the legislative level. The study concluded on the need to develop a comprehensive approach that accounts for both European standards and specific national conditions. Harmonisation of legislation will ensure more effective legal regulation, improve the implementation of environmental provisions and standards, and promote international cooperation in the field of environmental protection. The practical significance of this study lies in the possibility of using the findings obtained to harmonise national legislation with European requirements, which can stimulate innovation and the introduction of the latest technologies to reduce the adverse environmental impact