In order to perform control functions over the compliance with and implementation of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine the Committee cooperated with the central bodies of executive power, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights, and the Accounting Chamber, using the documents, findings and information they provided in order to improve the legislative support for the foreign policy of Ukraine.
At the Committee meetings they repeatedly listened to the information of the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the implementation of the provisions of the updated Law of Ukraine "On diplomatic service." The Committee also paid attention to the issue of simplification of visa regime with foreign countries (Australia and New Zealand), which would contribute to further development of bilateral relations and intensification of contacts in the socio-economic, cultural and humanitarian, and other spheres.
In order to discuss the importance of Ukraine's accession to the International Criminal Court, cooperation with the ICC, including over the recognition by Ukraine of the ICC's jurisdiction concerning crimes against humanity committed by senior government officials, which led to extremely serious consequences and mass killing of Ukrainian citizens during peaceful protests in the period of November 21, 2013 - February 22, 2014, as well as possible ways of the implementation of the Rome Statute of the ICC in the legislation of Ukraine, the Committee together with the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement, the Committee on Legal Policy and Justice, the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations in January, June and December 2015 conducted round tables on the ratification of the Rome Statute and Ukraine's accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In particular, during these events they drew attention to the fact that the ratification of the Rome Statute was one of Ukraine's commitments under the Association Agreement with the EU. In this regard, representatives of the Ukrainian legislature stressed that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine had adopted two decisions evidencing the prospects of the recognition of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. This, in particular, touches the decision of February 2014 concerning the previous power's actions during Euromaidan, and of February 2015 on crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by senior officials of the Russian Federation and terrorist organizations "DPR" and "LPR." The emphasis was also made on the role of the International Criminal Court, which is a global subsidiary judicial institution established by the international community as a mechanism of justice in case of serious violations of international law provisions, to combat the practice of impunity in cases when the States are unable or do not properly execute justice against the persons who have committed international crimes.
They drew attention to the fact that the draft amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine submitted to the parliament, envisage a provision, which removes legal obstacles on the way of the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. However, under the said draft law, the norm enters into force only three years after the adoption of the relevant constitutional amendments. In so doing, according to some participants of the meetings, Ukraine postpones the term of application of international justice, which can be perceived ambiguously by its international partners.
During the discussions, Ukrainian human rights activists recalled that the ratification of the Rome Statute is not a mere fulfillment of the requirements of the Association Agreement with the EU, but also a real tool for conducting investigations in the temporarily occupied territories and bringing war criminals to responsibility before international justice for their crimes. In this regard, the participants of the event representing civil sector and experts, addressed MPs with a call to do all the necessary to ensure that in the near future Ukraine became a full member of the International Criminal Court. It becomes extremely important for Ukraine in the context of a possible inclusion of the crime of aggression against the State in the list of crimes investigated by the International Criminal Court, beginning from January 1, 2017.
The Committee supported the legislative initiative of people's deputies on the timeliness and urgent character of the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of the Resolution "On the acceptance by Ukraine of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court concerning the situation that has developed as a result of continuing from February 27, 2014 armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and committing on the territory of Ukraine of international crimes" No.145-VIII, and constantly keeps controlling the state of its implementation by public authorities.
On April 15, 2015 the Committee on Foreign Affairs held committee hearings on the topic: "Formation of a strategy of protection of the national interests of Ukraine in counteracting acts of aggression, annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, other crimes of the Russian Federation directed against Ukraine."
Participants of the hearings noted that the main task of Ukraine today is the formation of a strategy in order to take actions at the national and international levels for the legal recognition of aggression and other crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine. During the committee hearings their participants comprehensively discussed further steps for punishment of the aggressor and compensation of losses in favor of our country, since the Russian aggression and occupation have been condemned by not only Ukraine but also the world community. In particular, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the European Union have also expressed their negative attitude to the Russian Federation's aggression and supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The participants of the committee hearings pointed to the need for active steps on the part of Ukraine to ensure its interests. Important part in this process plays legal component, which should be executed consistently with other measures of military, political, diplomatic, economic character both at the national and international levels. Termination of aggression, guaranteeing of its non-renewal, financial compensation of the damage caused by it is the main objective of the measures, which should be taken by Ukraine and other countries of the world.
On May 13, 2015 the Committee together with the Committee on Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship held a round-table on the topic "State and prospects of trade and economic cooperation: international dimension."
The participants of the event discussed a wide range of issues on the subject of the agenda, in particular problems and prospects of trade and economic cooperation of Ukraine in the international arena in the conditions of the loss of the Russian market and the introduction of a free trade area with the European Union, potential possibilities of increasing Ukrainian exports, the State's role in promotion of national business in foreign markets, etc. During the debates it was determined that the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine, the occupation of a part of the Ukrainian territory, seizure and demolition of the economic potential led to a general decline in export trading operations of Ukraine, first of all with Russia. The speakers noted that at present there is a need to restore the economic potential of Ukraine and search for new markets and ways to increase exports. In this context, the vast majority of participants pointed to the fullest possible use of the opportunities offered by the Association Agreement with the European Union, part of which is the free trade area agreement, which should create favorable conditions for increasing trade turnover between Ukraine and Europe.
On May 20, 2015, the Committee held committee hearings on the topic: "Control mechanisms to ensure transparency and effectiveness of international assistance use."
Members of the hearings pointed to the vital importance of these hearings' topic, taking into account the internal situation and external circumstances, in which our country has occurred, because since 1992 donor countries and international organizations have allocated Ukraine technical assistance for more than USD 9 billion, as at May 1, 2015 implemented were 358 projects with a total contract value of over USD 3.3 billion; in January-March this year, the volume of humanitarian aid that arrived in Ukraine amounted to 7,800 tons. Participants of the hearings discussed the process of formation and implementation of the state policy of Ukraine in attraction and use of international technical and humanitarian assistance; problematic issues of legal and financial regulation of the attraction, registration and use of international technical and humanitarian assistance, the issue of development of cooperation between the bodies of executive power of Ukraine and donor organizations, etc.
Following the hearing the Committee approved recommendations and sent them to the state government bodies.
On July 2, 2015 the Committee with the support of the Council of Europe Project "Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine" held a round-table on the topic "Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: on the path towards the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by Ukraine" with the participation of foreign experts of the Council of Europe Project.
The main topic of the round-table was the ratification and subsequent implementation by Ukraine of the Convention on preventing violence against women and domestic violence and combating these phenomena, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
The Convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on April 7, 2011 and entered into force on August 1, 2014. Ukraine signed this important international legal document as far back as on November 7, 2011, having become one of the twenty Member States. However, as at 2015 the ratification process was still under way.
Ukraine's ratification of the Istanbul Convention was included in the Plan of legislative support of reforms in Ukraine approved by the Resolution No. 2986, and is planned for the second quarter of 2016. To ensure proper implementation of the Convention's provisions Ukraine shall harmonize its legislation with its provisions not only by making a significant number of amendments to laws and codes, but also by adopting a number of new legislative acts. This is essential not only for the ratification, but for the further successful implementation of the Istanbul Convention.
Given the fact that in Ukraine, a legal and social state, human rights are the highest value, and their protection is a key to its European integration, round-table participants stressed on the importance of the ratification and further implementation by Ukraine of the Convention on preventing violence against women and domestic violence and combating these phenomena.
The Committee was constantly monitoring and listened to the information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and other central bodies of executive power on the problematic issues of foreign relations which arose during the reporting period. Thus, the Committee conducted extensive thematic meetings on the problematic issues of Ukraine-Russia relations at the current stage (possible negative consequences of denunciation of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, on the possibility of introducing retaliatory property sanctions against Russia, on the recognition of Russia as the aggressor country); on issues of denunciation of treaties between Ukraine and Russia on the stay of the Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine; on termination of Ukraine's participation in the Common Economic Area and amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on international treaties.
On October 7, 2015 the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a joint meeting with the Committee on European Integration with the participation of heads of permanent delegations of Ukraine in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, NATO, OSCE, BSEC, PA EuroNest, the EU - Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee and leaders of parliamentary groups of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the interparliamentary relations with foreign countries with the participation of the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada V. Groysman, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister P. Klimkin. The purpose of the meeting is to elaborate a strategy of interaction with representatives of the parliaments of foreign countries in the framework of people's deputies of Ukraine's participation in international events.
On December 9, 2015, at the initiative of the Committee, held was a round-table on the topic "Cultural Diplomacy: interaction of government and non-government institutions." During the event they focused on the practical aspects of the implementation of the idea to open Ukrainian cultural centers abroad, financial aspects of the implementation of such initiatives and issues of ensuring adequate coordination of activities of the state government bodies in the field of cultural diplomacy.
During the year at the Committee meetings they repeatedly listened to information of the bodies of executive power concerning international legal situation over the annexation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the escalation of military conflict in the east of the country.