INTEGRATION OF UKRAINIAN PROTECTED AREAS IN EUROPEAN ECOLOGICAL NETWORK: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

The paper discusses the features of the formation and the current state of protected areas in Ukraine. It has been identified that the approaches to the creation of protected areas and objects are quite different in Ukraine and the European Union. The comparative analysis that has been conducted and discrepancies in categorization of Ukrainian protected areas and objects to the categorization of IUCN and the EU have been established. The measures to adapt national categorization of protected areas with the recommendations of IUCN have been suggested. The basic problems associated with the management and monitoring of Ukrainian protected areas have been highlighted. The paper reveals inconsistencies in the legal framework of Ukraine and the European Union. The basic issues that arise at adaptation of Ukrainian environmental legislation to the EU environmental legislation have been analyzed, namely the implementation of the Bern Convention and Directive 92 \ 43 EEC. The basic steps of the Emerald Network in Ukraine have been examined. The representation networks of protected areas in Ukraine which are official candidates for Emerald Network have been analyzed. Main entry barriers and prospects of Ukrainian protected areas in the European ecological network have been overviewed (Natura-2000).