Among the priority topics of the EU-Ukraine Association Council meeting in Brussels next week will be Ukraine's participation in a new initiative of the European Commission - the European Green Deal, updating of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, "industrial visa waiver", simplification of customs procedures.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba made this statement  speaking at the public discussion “European integration's agenda: Ukraine's ambitions for the 2020”

"There is a new Government of Ukraine, there is a new European Commission. We have ambitions, and there is no question that they are connected with Europe. We need to synchronize them. We have to go this way together. European integration is our country's single option. But no country has been able to get closer or integrate into the European Union without systematic, large-scale support from the  Union itself," Dmytro Kuleba said.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed noted that now when a new Government kicked off its work, so does a new European Commission, Ukraine is seeking to reach a new level of ambition in relations and integration. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, after the EU-UkraineAssociation Council meeting, it will become clear how ambitious the European plans are.

The Government of Ukraine is eager to simplify as much as possible all customs procedures between Ukraine and the European Union and to facilitate the intensive movement of goods across the customs border, the access of Ukrainian producers to the EU’s market. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, this strategy will bring greater benefit to the Ukrainian economy in a shorter time than prioritizing integration with the EU.

"At this stage, we want to simplify all customs proceduresto the possible extent, to ensure Ukraine’s integration into the maximum number of formats that will facilitate the passage of goods across the customs border," Dmytro Kulena said.

At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister placed an emphasis on the fact that custom union with the European Union is an inherent part of the EU membership, which remains Ukraine's strategic goal.