Paper short abstract:

Official demarcation lines cannot hold the wave of Europeanisation that is gradually spreading beyond the borders of the new member states. Europeanisation in the Ukraine as a phenomenon is initiated both by the authorities from 'above' and from 'below' by the Ukrainian citizens themselves.

Paper long abstract:

The enlargement of the European Union to the East and the transformation of the Commonwealth of Independent States are complementary and mutually coherent processes that shape the European continent and its role in world politics and culture. Now that the first scheduled CEE/CIS states have joined the EU, the Ukraine with its 1000 km frontier with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania has become the next world beyond the new Europe.

However, such official demarcation lines cannot hold the wave of Europeanization that is gradually spreading beyond the borders of the new Member States. My paper will research these processes which constantly influence and change the standards of socio-political life in the Ukraine. By means of empirical method, legislation base sources and mass media analysis, I will trace Europeanization as a phenomenon that is initiated both by the authorities and by the Ukrainian citizens themselves. These two groups form two vectors of influence on the nation's cultural space: one that acts from "above" - the influence of state governing structures; and one that acts from "below" - people's private experience.

At the end of the 1990s, intentional implementation of Europeanization as the part of state policy in the form of new laws (e.g. № 1433 from 2003) was started. European cultural landscape programs were introduced, initiating actions and holidays (e.g. Days of Europe, etc.) in the Ukraine.

On the other hand, Ukrainian citizens are convinced by their own experience of numerous positive aspects of the Western way of life. Those who have lived in the EU try to change their family life according to 'European standards' in as many ways as possible after they have returned home. These attempts lead to the stratification of certain cultural traditions. "Own European experience", acquired while resident abroad cause a change in outlook, habits and general rhythm of life.

According to the results of my preliminary research, Europeanization in the Ukraine is a complex process, regarded as part of the nation's modernization alongside a qualitatively new level of Ukrainization. Both encourage liberation from pro-Soviet self-consciousness, ideological stereotypes and national inferiority feeling and are positive factors on the stage of the Ukrainians' new 'European identity' forming process.