EU-Oekraïne bijeenkomst op 14 september
On September 14 European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will travel to Kiev for the annual EU-Ukraine Summit. Also representing the EU will be Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, for the EU Presidency, External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and High Representative Javier Solana. The Summit, hosted by Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko, takes place just two weeks before early parliamentary elections. It is an occasion to take stock of the positive developments in EU-Ukraine relations since the last Summit, the progress on the new Enhanced Agreement and an opportunity for the EU to underline its support for the continuing political and economic reforms in Ukraine.
On the eve of the summit, President Barroso said: "In just two weeks from now, the people of Ukraine will vote in early parliamentary elections. We expect the elections to take place following the same democratic standards as in the previous elections. The country will face important challenges in moving towards the political and constitutional stability that Ukraine vitally needs to progress further with its political and economic reforms. The EU will support Ukraine every step of the way as it develops ever-closer ties with the Union.â€
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner added: " Talks on our new Enhanced Agreement have been constructive in spite of the political events over the past months. This underlines the commitment to closer relations with the EU across the whole political spectrum in Ukraine. I look forward to maintaining the pace of these talks so as to bring our relations with Ukraine to a new level.â€
At the summit leaders will take stock of the positive and constructive negotiations on the new enhanced agreement between the EU and Ukraine that will replace the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Four rounds have been held since the talks began in March this year, with the next round scheduled for October 17-18. An important part of the new agreement will be a deep and comprehensive free trade area (FTA), and the European Commission will launch talks on this FTA as soon as Ukraine has completed its accession process to the WTO. The new enhanced agreement will be a qualitative step forward in the relationship, building on the experience of the PCA and the 2005 joint EU-Ukraine Action Plan.
Two-way trade between Ukraine and the EU has seen a steady expansion, totalling €26.6 billion in 2006, making the EU one of the leading trade partners for Ukraine. Foreign Direct Investment from the EU is also on the up, topping €5.5 billion last year (from €230 million in 2003). The EU will be emphasizing its continuing strong support for Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and hopes the remaining steps can be completed in the nearest future.
Energy and the environment are also on the agenda, with leaders set to take stock of the implementation of the 2005 Memorandum of Understanding on energy, and exchanging views on the challenges that lie ahead in tackling environmental issues.
In the area of justice and home affairs, work continues apace, with the EU and Ukraine recently finalising agreements on visa facilitation and on readmission, which will come into force once concluded. The visa agreement will make applications for short-term Schengen visas easier for those people who need to travel most often.
On regional issues, a particular focus will be on the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, where the EU, Ukraine, and Moldova recently decided to extend the mission for two more years, further to the good results that have been reached since its launch.
The Summit starts at 10:00 with a plenary session, followed by a working lunch, and a press conference.
For more information:
The EU's relations with Ukraine: http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/ukraine/intro/index.htm