Olha Stefanishyna voiced key agreements following the meeting of the Association Council: energy sector, trade liberalization, green course, digital sphere

Following the meeting of the Association Council, Ukraine and the EU adopted a joint statement. In the document, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Ukraine's political association and economic integration with the EU. The EU has also confirmed its readiness to help Ukraine gain early access to vaccines and support an immunization campaign through a regional project with WHO launched today.

“A lot of preparatory work has been done before the Association Council’s meeting. Consultations were held with European partners on a wide range of issues - from updating the Agreement, Ukraine's accession to the Green Deal to strengthening cooperation in the field of mobility and migration. We have clearly stated our intention to join new European initiatives and intensify cooperation within the framework of those currently in force. All these developments are reflected in the joint statement, which will become a mandatory working guideline for both Ukraine and the EU. And as was planned, we are officially launching a comprehensive review of the achievement of the goals of the Agreement, the results of which are to be presented at the Ukraine-EU Summit in 2021. We are also starting consultations on revising the parameters of the free trade zone,” said Olha Stefanishyna.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that during the meeting of the Association Council the parties noted the progress of Ukraine in reforming inland waterways and Ukraine’s intention to include the Dnipro and the Southern Bug in the regional Trans-European Transport Network. In addition, the Association Council reminded of the importance of concluding the Common Aviation Area Agreement as early as 2021.

The Association Council also welcomed Ukraine's desire to bring its policies and legislation in line with the European Green Deal.

“Ukraine will participate in the processes of formation and implementation of the Green Deal, and areas of common interest are energy efficiency, hydrogen, the transformation of coal regions, industrial alliances and development of climate architecture. The economy of the European continent is changing, so we will join forces with the EU for mutually beneficial cooperation,” stressed Olha Stefanishyna.

The joint statement reads that the Association Council welcomed Ukraine's desire to approximate its national legislation to that of the digital economy, welcomed progress in implementing the provisions of the Telecommunication Association Agreement and stressed the need for further efforts in this area, including the independence of the telecoms regulator.

Both sides welcomed the joint work plan for EU-Ukraine cooperation on e-trust services. The parties also agreed to continue cooperation in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.