Competition for Journalistic Work on European Integration

Coverage of European integration in Ukrainian media often falls between two extremes: official reports that few people read and superficial references in daily news coverage. Yet there is another kind of journalism — work that explains, clearly and compellingly, how Ukraine is moving towards EU membership.

We want to recognise the authors of such work, encourage more journalists to engage seriously with the topic, and build a collection of outstanding journalism about Ukraine’s EU accession.

Submit a piece produced in 2026 by 15 October — or create a new one before the deadline — and compete for a cash prize in one of three categories.

To enter the competition, please complete the online application form.

Categories

1. Text — articles, longreads, features, reports and investigations published in online or print media.
2. Audio / Video — podcasts, video reports, documentaries and television stories.
3. Multimedia Projects — data journalism, interactive formats, social media publication series with clear journalistic value, and other multimedia formats.

Eligible Entries

A piece is considered to focus on European integration if the process of Ukraine’s European integration is its central subject or serves as the structural core of the story, rather than appearing only as background or a passing reference.

A submission is eligible if:

• it helps readers, viewers or listeners better understand a specific aspect of Ukraine’s EU accession or how this process affects people’s lives;
• the EU, EU institutions or the accession process itself are a central subject or an active actor in the story;
• the piece includes the author’s own analysis, reporting or original journalistic work, rather than simply reproducing official statements or positions.

Suggested Topics

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• the accession negotiation process and fulfilment of membership requirements, including screening, negotiation chapters and benchmarks;
• legislative alignment with EU standards, including judicial, anti-corruption, customs, agricultural, energy and other reforms;
• how specific EU standards affect business, education, healthcare, the environment, consumer rights and other areas;
• regional perspectives and preparations for European integration at the community level;
• stories of people and communities whose everyday lives have already been affected by EU-related reforms;
• analysis of European integration, including the risks, challenges and tensions within the process;
• comparative experience and lessons from EU Member States;
• the role of civil society in the European integration and accession process.

Entries must have been published between 1 January and 15 October 2026.

Evaluation Criteria

Public relevance — Does the piece address an important issue? Does it have the potential to contribute meaningfully to public discussion?

Quality of journalism — Sources, fact-checking, depth of reporting and balance.

Accessibility for the audience — Can a non-specialist understand the issue and why it matters?

Originality of approach — A fresh angle, unexpected story or innovative format.

Quality of execution — Writing, editing, production, design or other format-specific elements.

Jury

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze — Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union.

Anatolii Martsynovskyi — Editor at European Pravda, international journalist and EU affairs expert.

Natalia Andrusevych — Chair of the Board of the Resource & Analysis Center “Society and Environment”, expert on European environmental policy and EU law.

Mykola Kuzio — Expert with the Ukraine2EU project, specialist in the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law.

Dmytro Shulga — Director of the Europe and the World Programme at the International Renaissance Foundation, expert on European integration.

Jury members will not vote on entries where they, their editorial teams or their organisations have a direct relationship with the author of the submitted work.

Prize

The winner in each of the three categories will receive a cash prize of UAH 30,000.

To enter the competition, please complete the online application form.

For any questions, please contact pr@irf.ua.