Information and communication strategies of eurointegration in Ukraine

Abstract

Information is a key aspect of the European integration process in Ukraine. Ukrainians support the Euro-integration course, but note that they haven’t enough information about the European Union, the existing European programs, the implementation of the Association Agreement, etc.The author identified the main stages of informational support for Euro-integration of Ukraine: a stage of discussion of the advantages of European integration and specific benefits of Ukraine; information pressure stage; a stage of increasing information anxiety and increasing tension in society; the stage of a sharp protest public information reaction of society; the stage of renewal of the course on European integration and strengthening of information and communication support.The analysis of target audiences shows that different socio-demographic groups in different ways have information about the peculiarities and nature of the relationship between Ukraine and the EU.The public authorities have primary responsibility for informing citizens about European integration, but they do not possess the methodological and practical tools of information campaigns. Therefore in the article analyzes the peculiarities of the mechanisms of informing in the Concept of realization of the state policy in the field of informing and establishing communication with the public on the urgent issues of European integration of Ukraine for the period until 2017 and the Strategy of Communication in the field of European integration for 2018–2021 years. These documents are the mechanism for the division of responsibility for conducting information policy on European integration (including financial) between public authorities and interested non-governmental organizations, international donors and business structures. In this regard, the role of public institutions whose task is to inform Ukraine’s European integration processes and work with different target groups, on the one hand, and the establishment of communication between government and civil society in the planning and implementation of information campaigns on European integration on the other, is increasing.The local authorities have sufficient tools to influence public opinion, but often ignore the issue of European integration. In addition, an important condition for the implementation of the Strategy at the regional level is the establishment of cooperation between local authorities and public organizations.