Ukrainian Government Adopts European Integration Plan

KYIV, Ukraine, July 6, 2011 -

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved
the Plan of Priority Measures of Ukraine‘s European
Integration in response to the EU‘s Cooperation
Matrix provided by the European Commission. The newly issued
document provides for the continuation of the negotiations on the
EU - Ukraine Free Trade Zone, taking into account
Ukrainian national interests. The new Plan will help facilitate the
existing Economic Reforms Program for 2010-2014 Rich
community, competitive economy, and effective
state.

The Plan of Priority Measures of Ukraine’s European Integration
is aimed at deepening Ukraine’s cooperation with the European Union
through implementation of reforms. The main purpose of these
changes is to create a Free Trade Zone with the European Union and
receive financial assistance from the European Union.

The document also stipulates the elaboration of a number of
regulatory legal acts. The acts will arrange for the transposition
of the EU legislation into the Ukrainian national legislation. This
includes amending the Law of Ukraine on Judicial Administration and
the Role of Judges, enforcing the Economic Data Protection Law, and
adoption of the Macro Financial Assistance Agreement between the EU
and Ukraine.

The enforcement of the Plan of Priority Measures does not
require additional budget expenses since organizational,
informational, material and technical support is to be provided by
the executive branch of the Ukrainian government within their
existing duties.

The European integration is one of the priorities of the
Ukrainian foreign policy, whereas the signing of the Free Trade
Agreement is the short-term goal for the integration process. The
17^th round of negotiations with the EU on the Free
Trade Agreement ended in June 2011.

Negotiations between the EU and Ukraine on the Association
Agreement started back in 2007 with Free Trade Zone Agreement
negotiations following in early 2008. The EU and Ukraine stated
multiple times about their intention to finalize the Free Trade
Agreement by the end of 2011.

During the meeting with the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs
Radoslav Sikorsky in late June 2011 the Ukrainian President Viktor
Yanukovych stressed that, with the European integration being a
priority for Ukraine, the three important issues on the agenda of
the Ukrainian government are: liberalization of the visa regime,
establishment of the free trade zone, and signing of the
Association Agreement.

For more information, contact Maria Ivanova +380-443324784 news at wnu-ukraine.com, Project Manager at Worldwide News Ukraine