Dmytro Kuleba will officially submit Ukraine’s proposal to participate in European Green Deal to the European Union
Ukraine will shortly submit a proposal to engage in the implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD), the EU's main line of development, which envisages the transition of Europe to a climate-neutral economy by 2050.
Elaboration of such suggestions was touched upon at the inaugural meeting of the interagency working group on reducing the consequences of climate change chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Dmytro Kuleba.
"We are finalizing the document, inter alia, a letter with concrete proposals of becoming an integral part of the EGD. I will send it to the Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, who heads the process of drafting the Agreement in the European Union, " the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized, addressing the attendees.
Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the document will encapsulate all specific directions in which Ukrainian companies and technologies can help to implement the EGD. He counts on taking these proposals into account in the strategic framework for interaction between the EU and partner countries under the Agreement. The European Commission plans to release the relevant document in early March 2020.
"The EGD will be a priority for our Government, just as it is a priority for the European Commission. We are embarking on an issue of historical importance with you, and we must treat it very carefully and seriously," Dmytro Kuleba stressed.
He reminded that during 2020 the European Union will develop and start applying a number of initiatives that will directly or indirectly affect the development of Ukraine's economy and industry. They will cover finance, the economy, the labor market, technology and more. That is why it is important for our country not just to wait for the recommendations of Brussels, as it usually happened in the past, but to show the new quality of interaction with the European Union, to take an active part in the policy development stage. In addition to the list of areas for participation in the EGD, Ukraine will also provide suggestions on how to structure climate dialogue with the EU.
The meeting participants discussed concrete proposals on the circular economy, energy efficiency and energy saving, transport and infrastructure, development of hydrogen energy, renewable energy sources, application of Ukraine's scientific potential for implementation of the EDG.
According to Dmytro Kuleba, the first meeting of the interagency working group is dedicated to Ukraine's suggestions for the EU, and the second meeting will address EU assistance in the implementation of Ukraine's green transition.
The constitutive meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance, EU representation in Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council, State Water Resources Agency, State Ecological Inspection, State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving, the Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet Ministers, European Business Association, lawmakers and leading scientists of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Interagency Group will coordinate all processes and decisions regarding climate change mitigation and Ukraine's cooperation with the European Commission on these issues.
Background
The development and implementation of the European Green Deal is one of the key priorities of the European Commission for 2019-2024. During the presentation of the new composition of the European Commission, its President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the goal of transforming the EU into the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To achieve this goal, a draft European Green Deal and appendixes are being shaped within the first 100 days of the work of the new composition of the European Commission.
