The article addresses the theoretical and practical issues of regional environmental policy in Ukraine and financial framework for the implementation of its tasks. The author offers a definition of its concept as a system of goals and actions of authorities at all levels, business entities, civil society institutions, scientific institutions, etc. aimed at preserving the natural environment and achieving environmentally safe living conditions for the population of the region using appropriate methods and tools. The concept of its financial framework is considered. The article indicates the sources of financial resources that are used/could be used to achieve the goals of regional environmental policy by its levels: national, regional, and local. With regard to the regional environmental policy, the importance of environmental taxation as a tool for financial support for the implementation of its tasks and measures is emphasized. Meanwhile, the analysis of the place of environmental taxation in relation to the GDP and total tax revenues in Ukraine compared to the respective indicators of the EU member states demonstrates a low fiscal level of the domestic environmental tax. Also, the amount of environmental tax revenues to local budgets is insignificant, which in Ukraine as a whole and in most of its regions does not exceed 1% of total tax revenues. The share of environmental protection costs in local budget expenditures is also less than 1%. A significant burden of expenditures will be borne by local budgets given the environmental requirements for Ukraine as a candidate country for accession to the European Union, which require significant expenditures, and the fact that the investment opportunities of business entities, the vast majority of which belong to the municipal and public sectors of the economy, are extremely limited in the most capital-intensive areas of environmental protection (wastewater treatment, waste management, and protection and rehabilitation of soil, groundwater, and surface water). This will require an increase in environmental protection trust funds in the structure of special funds of local budgets, which will necessitate an increase in environmental tax. In this regard, a number of steps are suggested to strengthen the fiscal and targeted environmental protection function of environmental taxation, in particular in the context of financial support for the implementation of the tasks facing Ukraine with the acquisition of the status of a candidate state for accession to the European Union.
The article substantiates the issue of choosing optimal solutions for production through the prism of the need to improve regional environmental policy on the basis of sustainable development and the European integration course of Ukraine. It is proven that business efficiency is determined by making the right decisions about what to produce (what goods), where to produce (in which places), how to produce (with the help of which technologies), how much to produce (in what volume), for whom to produce (for which sales markets). It is emphasized that the modernization of the regional environmental policy is intended to influence the adoption of correct decisions according to the specified parameters. It is assumed that the result of the adaptation of the regional environmental policy to modern environmental and socio-economic challenges will be effectiveness, since decisions about "what, where, how, how much and for whom to produce" affect the level of environmental security of the region. The final stage of forming an answer to these key questions regarding production is the justification of the choice of the best, that is, the option of systemically optimal locations with systemically optimal production technologies and relocation from options of potential systemically optimal locations. In the situation with production technologies and when justifying the choice of the optimal technology, the movement will depend on the peculiarities of the regional environmental policy, the modernization of which should take place in the direction of increasing environmental safety. However, since, unlike production, movement is not tied to one place, when justifying the choice of the optimal movement of technologies, it will be necessary to take into account the specifics of environmental policy in all regions, which will be used to move goods from the place of production to sales markets. The spatial-systemic approach formed by the authors to justifying the choice of what to produce (what goods), where to produce (in which places), how to produce (with the help of which technologies in each place), how much to produce (in what volume in each place), for whom to produce (to which sales markets in each location) involves the joint, complex, interdependent and mutually coordinated optimization of all these 5 parameters within a single task. All these justifications should take into account the requirements of the regional environmental policy, as well as the prospective directions of its modernization on the basis of sustainable development.
Based on a retrospective analysis, it has been proven that the development of industrial parks actually contributes to the creation of clusters of competitive industries and the expansion of production chains. Ultimately, this has a positive impact on the balanced economic development of regions. Therefore, in Ukraine, where the issue of economic clustering has always been a strategic development priority, experts in this field have begun to actively support the development of IPs by developing appropriate mechanisms for implementing cluster initiatives. Based on an analysis of official regulatory documents, it has been established that a significant transformation of state policy on the development of industrial parks began in 2021–2022 with the authorities' attempt to update the issue of stimulating them in terms of attracting investment in development and to increase public interest in these processes at the legislative level. The peculiarities of the development of the IP network in Ukraine in the current conditions have been identified and substantiated, including the dynamic growth of applications for their creation, an increase in the number of private parks, a concrete definition of strategic prospects, an increase in the number of predicted participants with investments in the parks being created, the emergence of real and competent management companies, the involvement of small and medium-sized businesses, a focus on the formation of eco-industrial parks, and the activation of regional authorities and local communities. The general factors that encourage the creation of industrial parks and are key motivators for the initiators of this process have been identified. It has been established that the total volume of capital investments in Ukraine as a whole in 2023 reached the 2019 level and increased significantly compared to 2022, with the largest amounts recorded in the Kyiv, Lviv, Rivne, and Vinnytsia regions, which correlates with the implementation of IP introduction programs. Based on an analysis of the correlation between the smart specializations declared in the regional development strategies and the sectoral specifics of existing successful IPs in these territories, the need to update and revise the content of these strategies has been demonstrated, and strengthening coordination in terms of interconnection and harmonization of state policy to stimulate the development of industrial parks and regional development strategies.
The article focuses on the fact that the full-scale war has become a powerful challenge for the development and functioning of the Ukrainian innovation system, which has led to a further decline in the level of innovation activity and technological efficiency of industrial enterprises. The main focus is on the study of contemporary challenges and threats to the innovative development of Ukraine's regions, which have significantly intensified since the start of Russia's large-scale invasion. An analysis of the dynamics of changes in Ukraine's international ratings during 2014-2023 was carried out based on a series of innovation capacity indices, namely the Global Innovation Index, the European Innovation Scoreboard, and the Global Talent Competitiveness Index. Changes in Ukraine's position in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index during 2022-2024 were analyzed. In addition, changes in the startup opportunity indices of Ukraine's regions were analyzed. The results of the analysis show a negative trend of significant loss of position by Ukrainian cities since the start of the large-scale invasion. Considerable attention is paid to the problem of the low level of implementation of domestic developers' own innovative technologies and inventions and the low level of funding for scientific research and design development, which has significantly worsened with the start of the large-scale invasion. The key reasons for the decline in innovation funding in Ukraine during the war are identified. The article also focuses on the difficulty of accessing modern foreign technologies, which is a significant challenge for Ukraine's technological and economic development, especially in wartime. Overall, it is noted that the innovative development of Ukraine's regions during the war is hampered by a number of challenges and threats that create additional difficulties for stimulating economic development and technological change. At the same time, it is emphasized that although the current challenges and threats to the innovative development of Ukraine's regions during the war are significant, with the right management approach and support, their impact can be minimized and new opportunities for innovation development can be found that will contribute to increasing economic productivity.
innovative development, innovative technologies, transformational changes, challenges and threats, start-ups, digital transformation
The article clarifies that improving the effectiveness of cross-border cooperation in the context of Ukraine's European integration requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses institutional, legal, organizational, managerial, financial, digital, and social dimensions. It is established that the key factor in the development of transborder relations is the formation of effective multi-level governance with the participation of state authorities, local self-government bodies, civil society institutions, and business. Emphasis was placed on the need to harmonize national legislation with European standards, in particular through the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation and the regulation of the legal status of Euroregional associations. The need to modernize the financial and organizational mechanism of transborder cooperation by creating offices to support cross-border initiatives, introducing public-private partnership models, and optimizing project preparation and support procedures was justified. It is proposed to use digital management tools, including electronic platforms, integrated dashboards, and monitoring systems, which will contribute to increasing transparency, accountability, and the effectiveness of transborder project implementation. The importance of developing shared infrastructure, innovative ecosystems in border regions, forming smart specialization clusters, and strengthening human resources and scientific and educational potential has been demonstrated. The role of civil society in legitimizing transborder dialogue, monitoring, and implementing socially oriented initiatives has been emphasized. Thus, the implementation of the proposed directions will allow the formation of an integrated model for the development of Ukraine's border areas based on the principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, innovation, and territorial cohesion, which is in line with the strategic guidelines of European regional policy.
transborder market, European integration, transborder cooperation, mechanisms, financing, competitiveness, efficiency, institutional development, implementation, European experience
The issue of ensuring national security is gaining special significance, and its effective solution is becoming a critical aspect for the future of the country and the well-being of its citizens. The modern security environment is undergoing large-scale transformations that cover almost all spheres of public life. Sustainable national security is formed in the context of ongoing processes of economic globalization that affect the development trends of countries, so it is advisable to consider regional economic integration as an integral part of the global development of modern civilization. The Baltic-Black Sea space can now become a platform for solving strategic foreign economic problems, protecting national interests, developing joint defense industries, implementing infrastructure and energy projects, and opening up new opportunities for economic development and national security. The purpose of the publication is to study the essence of national security in the realities of geopolitical turbulence and geo-economic competition, to study economic trends that affect Ukraine's national security in the context of the formation of the Baltic-Black Sea region as an alternative integration vector. The paper examines the essence of the categorical concept of “national security”, which is included in official government documents and national security strategies. The influence of economic trends on the national security of Ukraine in the context of the Baltic-Black Sea region and the formation of the Three Seas Initiative is determined. Global and regional economic processes, in particular energy dependence, infrastructure integration, and trade and economic cooperation between the countries of the region are analyzed. The main risks to Ukraine's economic stability related to macroeconomic instability and the consequences of Russian aggression are identified. The results of the study emphasize the importance of regional cooperation for strengthening Ukraine's economic stability and enhancing its geo-economic role. Recommendations are offered to strengthen Ukraine's participation in regional initiatives, such as the development of joint infrastructure projects, diversification of energy sources, and the creation of an effective system of regional economic security. In today's realities, Ukraine's effective integration into regional initiatives helps reduce vulnerability to external challenges and opens up new opportunities for economic development and national security. The key objective of the formation of the Baltic-Black Sea space is to develop economic cooperation and ensure national security of the Black and Baltic Sea countries, promote integration and infrastructure projects, develop foreign trade, supply chains, and trade and economic cooperation between the countries of the region.
Baltic-Black Sea region, economic trends, national security, regional cooperation, energy security, digitalization, infrastructure development
The article examines the main structural components of the investment potential of a territorial community: resource, financial, infrastructural, institutional, and human resources, and emphasizes the need for strategic planning, investment branding, and the creation of a favorable business climate. The key factors influencing the investment attractiveness of communities are identified: the quality of the institutional environment, the openness of local authorities to cooperation, the development of financial and social infrastructure, the transparency of management procedures, security conditions, and the availability of human and natural resources. The impact of international partnerships, donor support, programs, and tools aimed at attracting investment in the development of territorial communities was analyzed. It was emphasized that investment can be a catalyst for economic growth, modernization of territories, and improvement of the quality of life of the population in times of crisis. The importance of building the institutional capacity of communities for project management is emphasized, which will enable the effective implementation of investment initiatives and attract partnership resources in the medium and long term. Special attention was paid to the role of local self-government bodies in creating a systematic policy for attracting investment aimed at achieving sustainable development, increasing employment, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and implementing innovative projects in communities. The study examined the peculiarities of the formation of the investment potential of Ukraine's territorial communities in the context of a full-scale war, which has significantly transformed the economic, institutional, and security environment. It is emphasized that the war has affected the dynamics of investment activity, led to the destruction of infrastructure, disruption of logistics chains, reduction of labor resources, and decline in investor confidence, which requires a rethinking of traditional approaches to managing the investment attractiveness of communities.
territorial communities, investments, investment potential, security, local self-government, capacity
Ensuring gender equality is one of the key components of sustainable development and democratisation of society. In the context of Ukraine's integration into the European community, the issue of developing and implementing an effective gender policy in various areas, including infrastructure security, is becoming increasingly important. The analysis of the current legislation shows insufficient detail of the mechanisms for implementing gender policy, especially in the field of critical infrastructure, which creates obstacles to achieving equal opportunities for women and men in professional activities. The purpose of the study is to identify gaps in Ukraine's legal framework for integrating gender policy into infrastructure security and to develop recommendations for their elimination based on international standards and best practices. The study was conducted using the methods of analysis and synthesis of legal acts, comparison of national legislation with international standards, and critical analysis of the practice of implementing gender policy in Ukraine. The article identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the current legal acts regulating gender equality and infrastructure security. Gaps in the legislation are identified, in particular, the lack of clear mechanisms for ensuring equal opportunities in professional activities and insufficient coordination between central and local authorities. Recommendations for improving the regulatory framework aimed at integrating a gender approach into infrastructure security are proposed. The results of the study emphasize the need to increase attention to gender equality in the field of infrastructure security through the development of specialized provisions in laws and the introduction of effective mechanisms for implementing gender policy. This will contribute not only to social justice, but also to improving the efficiency of critical infrastructure. Prospects for further research include detailing practical mechanisms for integrating a gender approach into the legal framework and analyzing their impact on the functioning of infrastructure security.
The analysis, research and reality of the current negative challenges of martial law in Ukraine, military operations as a result of the large-scale invasion of Russian troops in February 2022, outlines the factors of imbalance in the economic and demographic situation in the country. At the same time, the problem of the state of critical infrastructure both in the temporarily occupied territories and in other relatively safe regions of Ukraine, namely the destruction of generation facilities and electricity transmission to consumers, has become extremely acute. The imbalance of electricity production, reduction of electricity generation from various sources - nuclear, thermal, natural, etc. - leads to the need to replenish the country's energy balance through imports and the search for alternative sources. The current situation in the energy sector clearly leads to negative trends - an increase in tariffs and a decrease in actual consumption, and as a result, the introduction of blackout schedules for consumers of all levels in the regions of the country. The purpose of the article is to analyze the peculiarities of marketing pricing of business activities in the current conditions of problems in the country's energy sector and to substantiate the approaches to forming a business marketing policy with due regard for the impact of these problems. The article examines some approaches to the process of marketing pricing of business in the current conditions of martial law, which are associated with problems in the energy sector of Ukraine. The author analyzes the causes of these problems as a result of the destruction of electricity production and transportation facilities, which led to a sharp increase in Ukrenergo's tariffs and systemic emergency power outages for consumers. The author substantiates the connection between the growth of prices for goods, works, and services when supplying electricity to facilities using diesel generators, due to the increase in its cost several times, as well as the decrease in sales revenue during the interruption of electricity supply according to the schedules. It is proposed to use the method of marginal profit analysis, since electricity costs are mainly variable costs and have a significant impact on the result of financial activity.
marketing pricing, problems of the energy sector, cost of electricity, alternative energy supply, marginal analysis, profit
The article is devoted to the analysis of modern digital cybersecurity tools used in the economic security system of Ukrainian enterprises, their role in countering cyber threats and increasing the resilience of the digital infrastructure of Ukrainian enterprises in repelling the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. An analysis of scientific research by domestic and foreign scientists on the impact of cyber threats and means of neutralizing them was conducted. The analysis revealed that despite a significant amount of scientific research, a number of problems remain unresolved. These include insufficient attention to the integration of various digital tools, in particular cybersecurity, into a single system that would take into account the specifics of a particular enterprise, as well as the lack of a comprehensive approach to assessing the effectiveness of such tools. This highlights the need for further research in this area. The main classes of modern digital cybersecurity tools were identified, their capabilities and significance for improving the overall resilience of an enterprise's digital infrastructure were described, and their cost and capabilities were analyzed. The need for their comprehensive implementation, taking into account the specific activities of each enterprise, was justified. The cost and quality of some digital cybersecurity products were analyzed by comparing two key indicators: price and quality. This made it possible to assess which products are most cost-effective and what benefits they provide for enterprises of different sizes, and to summarize the results of this analysis according to three criteria: High quality, high price; High quality, moderate price; Good quality, low price. The study found that the use of modern digital cybersecurity tools is a prerequisite for maintaining the stability and security of enterprises in the context of the digitalization of the economy. These tools provide effective solutions for detecting and preventing threats, as well as for protecting information resources from possible attacks. It is important that the integration and implementation of such tools into the economic security system of enterprises takes into account the specific activities of each enterprise and requires continuous development and updating, taking into account new challenges and threats in the modern cyberspace.
cybersecurity, digital tools, economic security, enterprise, digital infrastructure protection
In the context of globalization, high competition, economic and political instability, it is extremely difficult for businesses in Ukraine to ensure the efficiency of their activities, financial stability, and competitiveness. In recent years, military actions have led to the destruction of the material and technical base, a significant increase in the cost of production resources, disruption of logistics, loss of sales markets, a decline in investment and external financing, etc., which has further complicated the functioning of enterprises. As a result of the war, most sectors of the national economy have experienced a significant decline in production and losses of current and future opportunities for enterprises. Particularly relevant is the problem of increasing the production and sale of agricultural products and improving the efficiency of agricultural enterprises, whose main task is to ensure the country's food security. The purpose of this article is to justify methodological approaches to assessing the economic potential of agricultural enterprises during wartime and post-war recovery. The article is devoted to substantiating methodological approaches to assessing the economic potential of agricultural enterprises during wartime and post-war recovery. It has been found that scientific publications do not clearly distinguish between methodological approaches and methods for assessing the potential of an enterprise. At the same time, most scientists recognize three approaches to assessing the economic potential of an enterprise: income, comparative (market), and cost. It is proposed to supplement the classification of methods for assessing the potential of an enterprise with the following characteristics: compliance of the reproduction of production factors with market requirements; consideration of the time taken into account when assessing potential; direction of potential assessment. It has been established that the most optimal method for assessing the economic potential of an enterprise is based on the value assessment of all its elements. In de-occupied territories, it is advisable to adjust the potential value by appropriate correction factors that take into account the state of material, technical, and resource support of commodity producers. To assess the effectiveness of the implementation of an enterprise's economic potential, a system of key indicators and coefficients has been proposed for specific elements, on the basis of which it will be possible to calculate an integrated indicator of the level of effectiveness of potential implementation.
economic potential of an enterprise, element of potential, assessment, evaluation, management, financial reporting
The article is devoted to the analysis of spatial and structural changes in Ukraine's entrepreneurial sector under the conditions of full-scale war. Military aggression has led to significant shifts in the distribution and structure of business activity, manifested in a decline in the number of business entities in frontline and occupied regions, alongside a growing concentration of entrepreneurship in relatively safe western regions and the capital. The study assesses quantitative and qualitative changes in entrepreneurial activity, particularly the dynamics of the number of individual entrepreneurs and legal entities, the institutional structure of enterprises, financial performance, and spatial concentration by types of economic activity. To identify regional disparities and evaluate the level of concentration, Shannon entropy is used, allowing the authors to record an increase in unevenness in the distribution of business activity in 2023 compared to 2014 and 2020. Additionally, an approach is applied to assess the elasticity of changes in employment localization relative to changes in the localization of sales volumes, enabling an analysis of the relationship between business dynamics and the labor market at the regional level. Particular attention is paid to types of economic activity with varying degrees of mobility and sensitivity to security risks – agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, education, and trade. The study reveals a decrease in spatial concentration in agriculture and an increase in the ICT and education sectors, largely driven by business relocation, internal migration, and the uneven development of digital infrastructure. In manufacturing and trade, both signs of adaptation to crisis conditions (growth in rear regions) and deep losses in frontline areas are observed. The findings also identify regions where business activity growth is not accompanied by a proportional increase in employment, suggesting a shift toward automation or less labor-intensive business models. The results confirm that the war has triggered a structural transformation of the entrepreneurial sector, intensifying regional asymmetries and calling for a rethinking of policies to support business and economic recovery at the regional level.
The article is devoted to determining the features of the use of regional programs in the post-war reconstruction of territories using the example of the Republic of Korea. Regional imbalance in the Republic of Korea is negatively manifested not only in the economic sphere, but also in the social sphere. As the country becomes more urbanized, rural regions of Korea are facing demographic problems caused by the aging and shrinking population, partly caused by the migration of young people to cities. This has increased pressure on the metropolitan region and depleted the viability of rural areas. The government is trying to solve this problem through regional policy. Thanks to the policy implemented, many economic and social indicators reflecting regional imbalance, such as population migration, the level of accessibility of education, and medicine, have changed in a positive direction for the regions. Special attention is paid in the study to the consideration of regional programs of the Republic of Korea in different historical periods. For the twentieth century, a characteristic manifestation was Saemaul Undong (SU), as a key program for increasing agricultural production and developing rural areas. Among the completed projects of the 21st century, the Innovative Cities Initiative, which began in 2004 and will end in 2020, is worth highlighting. The initiative aimed to relieve pressure on Seoul while catalyzing the development of the country's secondary cities. The government of the Republic of Korea invested in improving public services, housing, cultural amenities, and transportation infrastructure in these cities to encourage the movement of personnel and help them integrate into new communities. The goal of South Korea's regional policy in recent decades has been to promote broader growth across the country in order to reduce pressure and restore balance between the metropolitan region and rural areas. This policy is based on a number of initiatives, such as the development of 10 "innovative cities" and the new multi-purpose administrative city of Sejong. Korea is also one of the leading countries in the field of smart cities, as represented by two well-known pilot projects in Sejong and Busan.
regional policy, Republic of Korea, territorial development management, territorial development policy, regional programs, post-war territorial reconstruction, foreign experience
The role of scientific and organizational support in ensuring regional (and local) development, as well as in creating the prerequisites for managing the development of the territorial economic system (region, community) has been investigated. The experience of European Union countries in forming a systematic approach to ensuring scientific and organizational support in the formation and implementation of EU cohesion policy (also known as EU regional policy) at the pan-European, regional, and local levels in EU countries has been examined. As part of the study of EU experience, four generations of programs of the European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON) are presented, representing a set of approaches and methods for implementing scientific and organizational support in the context of the formation and implementation of EU territorial policy. The article also examines the domestic experience of scientific and organizational support in the development of socio-economic development strategies in Ukrainian communities and the role of international technical assistance projects in this context. The experience of involving institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the development of development strategies for Ukrainian territorial communities and the main problems arising in this context are examined separately. The article also proposes the application of a systematic approach at the national level to ensure scientific and organizational support from specialists of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine to improve regional and territorial development strategies at the national and local levels.
regional development, territorial development, scientific and organizational support, cohesion policy, regional policy, instrument, EU
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UDC 336.2:338.2; JEL H22, H30, R58