The article analyzes the experience of reforming of industrial policy of the EU member states on the way to sustainable economic development. Based on the conducted analysis the priority areas of high added value in Ukraine are outlined: transport, aerospace, energy engineering, production of equipment for alternative energy, including new materials and energy storage devices; production of weapons, military and special equipment; information and communication technologies. The development of the diversified and high-tech industries, especially the processing industry, is the key to ensuring the economic growth in Ukraine. The de-industrialization in Ukraine in recent years has been slowing down the movement towards the stable and sustained growth. To estimate trends in the structure of Ukraine’s GDP and their impact on economic growth, the taxonomic indicator of development level has been calculated. The units of the statistical aggregate (data from Germany, Poland and Ukraine) were mapped. The relative position of the state was determined as the distance from the statistical aggregate unit to the selected reference base (reference point). The smaller the value of the taxonomic indicator of development is, the closer the country is to the standard. The indicators of GDP, GDP growth rate and the share of industrial production belong to stimulants; the level of inflation and the share of agriculture in GDP - to disincentives. The corresponding calculations permit to draw the following conclusions: - Poland was the closest to the standard in 2000 (index 0.650), although Ukraine demonstrated at that time the highest growth rates and the biggest share of industry in GDP; - in 2017 the gap was increasing - Ukraine was inferior to both countries (with indicators 0.325 and 0.336), due to lower rates of economic growth and a decrease in the share of industrial production against the backdrop of inflationary phenomena. Ukraine should take into account that no country focused on agricultural development has succeeded in economic development. Progressive foreign experience can highlight the criterion of positive changes - an increase in the proportion of technologically complex productions with high added value in the structure of reproduction. 

economic growth, industrial policy, industrialization, deindustrialization, EU countries, taxonomic development index