EU and Ukraine Approve Action Plan for Visa-Free Regime

KIEV, Ukraine, November 22, 2010 - The EU President Herman Van Rompuy and the Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych announced the adoption of the Action Plan for visa-free
travel between the European Union countries and Ukraine. The decision came as
a result of the 14th EU-Ukraine summit which took place today in Brussels.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce today the
introduction of the visa-free regime Action plan for Ukraine which concerns
short-term visits of the Ukrainian nationals to the EU", Van Rompuy stated.

"I believe it is our joint achievement. Finally, we are
getting very close to waiving the visa barriers", the Ukrainian President
said.

Viktor Yanukovych also said that this year's summit is very
special due to the historical decisions put on its agenda.

Roman Shpek, the representative of Ukraine in EU during
2000-2008, stated that the plan to cancel visa-regime is not an out of
ordinary step. To achieve this goal Ukraine will still have to meet concrete
obligations and requirements and its successes and failures will be closely
analyzed. The most important part of the procedure will be looking into the
effects such changes in the visa-regime might have on the member-states, with
the final decision depending on the consensus between the states.

The draft of economic reforms in Ukraine for 2010-2014
mentions a goal of introducing the visa-free regime between Ukraine and the
EU by the end of 2012. The President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, on the
other hand, has promised the EU to implement measures foreseen by the Action
Plan for Ukraine concerning the visa-free regime in the first half of 2011.
Additionally, on 19 May 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a
plan of urgent measures for 2010 aimed at integrating Ukraine into the EU.

The expectations of a positive outcome of the political
discussions were boosted by Viktor Yanukovych's remark that he felt welcomed
at the summit and was granted a friendly reception.

Ukraine waived visas for all EU citizens back in 2005 on the
occasion of the Eurovision Song Contest which the country hosted that year in
Kyiv. The adopted Action Plan is the first step on the way to the reciprocity
on the part of the EU.

For more information, please contact Natalya Shulevska +380633776645 news at wnu-ukraine.com, Project Manager at Worldwide News Ukraine