Adoption of the Bill (Reg. No 0078), submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers to The Verkhovna Rada, will stipulate further cooperation between Ukraine and Council of Europe in the field of implementation of special-purpose programs in our State and will also create necessary conditions for further assistance on the part of both this Organization, and European Commission that allots bigger part of funds to the financing of relevant projects.
Ratification of the said Memorandum will launch a new institutional form of cooperation between Ukraine and Council of Europe. European Council Office in Ukraine will be responsible for coordination of programs of this Organization. Memorandum clearly determines terms of reference, duties and functions of the Office, timetable of its functioning, legal status and relevant benefits and immunities of the Office and its employees which are legally determined by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe (1949), in which Ukraine acts as a Party.
Inter alia, the approved funds of the Organization assistance programs and projects for the nearest three years amount to 18 million euro. These funds will provide education of Ukrainian experts and coordination of Ukrainian legislation with European Council standards, consolidation of law supremacy in Ukraine, support of local government, provision of human rights, and creation of favorable legal prerequisites for fighting corruption, reforming prosecuting bodies, judicial system etc.
For Reference: Memorandum was signed on 6 November 2006 in Kyiv during the visit of T. Devis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, in Ukraine. Conclusion of the Document was stipulated by extended cooperation between Ukraine and Council of Europe within implementation of the Ukraine Action Plan, ratified by the Committee of Ministers of European Council on 15 June 2005, and consequent necessity of European Council Office foundation in Ukraine.