The bilateral institutions of the Association Agreement (hereinafter-the Association), in particular, the Association Council and the Association Committee have been established under the Articles 461-466 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
According to the provisions of the Association, the Association Council monitors and controls the implementation of the Association Agreement and conducts systematic reviews the functioning of the Agreement in accordance with the declared objectives. Furthermore, the Association Council may consider important issues arising under the Agreement and other bilateral or international issues of mutual interest.
Meeting of the Association Council are held at the ministerial level at least once a year or according to the specific circumstances. The Association Council is composed by the members of the Ukrainian Parliament, members of the Council of the European Union and members of the European Commission. The meetings may be held in any desired composition if there is a mutual consent of the parts.
The representatives of Ukraine and of the EU chair the Association Council alternately. The representatives of the other institutions may attend the meetings of the Council as observers and by mutual agreement between the official members of the Association Council.
Association Councils empowered to take decisions which are binding on the parts as well as to make recommendations. In particular, the Council may update or amend the Annexes of the Association Agreement, taking into account the development of the EU law.
The Association Committee prepares the meetings of the Association Council. In addition, the Council may delegate competences to the Association Committee, including the authority to make binding decisions on the parts. The Committee decisions are made on consent. Furthermore, the meetings of the Association Committee are held at least once a year.
According to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers № 700 on organization of the meetings of the particular bilateral bodies of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, the members of the Association Council are the members of the Cabinet of Ministers; the members of the Association Committee are the Deputy Ministers responsible for European integration issues, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade - Trade representative of Ukraine, as well as the deputies heads of other executive authorities with competences related to the implementation of the Association Agreement. This Resolution also assigns the position of the Secretary of the Association Council and of the Association Committee to the director of the Government Office for European Integration within the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Parliamentary Association Committee (hereinafter - PAC) is a forum for the members of the Ukrainian Parliament and of the European Parliament to meet and share points of view. The PCA is composed of the Ukrainian and European parliamentarians. The PCA establishes its own rules of procedure which determines the regularity of the meetings. The Presidency is held by the representative of the Ukrainian and the European Parliament alternately and in accordance to its own rules of procedure. The PCA may request the Association Council information on implementation of the Association Agreement or provide recommendations to the Association Council. Furthermore, the PCA has the competence to establish the subcommittees.