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 17th 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.
