Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, welcomed the participants of the sitting. He highly
appreciated the work of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Ukraine and the
Republic of Poland, and declared that the Assembly had approved itself as a practical
institutional tool of Ukrainian-Polish relations.
According to the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Assembly could benefit from its efficiency and goal-orientation, if it streamlined its structure and set up standing working groups and panels in charge of long-term planning of the Assembly work and legislative support of economic and humanitarian aspects of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation. "Considering the importance and value of Ukrainian-Polish relations for the entire Europe, I would assume that the Assembly could redouble the intensity of its work," he stressed.
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, called for launching EURONEST, the parliamentary component of the Eastern Partnership. The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament emphasized that Ukraine agreed to participate in the Eastern Partnership, and considered it as a valuable supplement to the bilateral contacts with the European Union and EU member states. "However, the Eastern Partnership needs crisis therapy even before it is launched. First of all, political self-organization of the Eastern Partnership should be improved, and its financial support should be provided", V. Lytvyn declared.
According to V.Lytvyn, Ukraine is interested in the parliamentary component of the Eastern Partnership and its further activity.
Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament Mykola Tomenko, who presided over the meeting, singled out the following priority goals in the cooperation with the European Union: energy security, completion of negotiations and conclusion of the Association agreement, formation of a free trade zone, observance of the principles of the Visa-Free Regime Action Plan, implementation of the coordinated priorities within the Eastern Partnership, and fulfillment of obligations concerning accession of Ukraine to the European Energy Community. He stressed that Ukraine expected sustainable cooperation and support in the light of the above mentioned obligations and goals. "I am convinced that there are no alternatives to the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland. Our state and people shall develop good neighborly relations with respect and harmony, building a common European home", M. Tomenko declared.
Among other issues that require attention
of Ukrainian and Polish parliamentarians, the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna
Rada of Ukraine mentioned development of interregional cooperation,
reconstruction of active crossing points on the State border and opening of new
ones, introduction of common customs control, preparation and holding of the
European Football Championship 2012.
The agenda of the sitting of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly covered the following issues: Ukraine-EU (presidency of Poland over the EU in the second half of the year 2011; the Eastern Partnership); preparation for EURO 2012; customs and border issues (introduction of a common customs-border control, development of border infrastructure, extension of the scope of Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Poland on the regulations of local border movement, environmental protection in the border area); administrative and territorial reform.
Discussing the agenda at the plenary sitting, the participants started to work in three panels: on the local self-government reforms (co-chairperson from the Ukrainian side - People´s Deputy Olha Bodnar); on cross-border cooperation and environmental protection (co-chairperson from the Ukrainian side People´s Deputy Mykola Shershun); on the European integration (co-chairperson from the Ukrainian side - People´s Deputy Taras Chornovil).
Summing up the work in the panels, their members informed that they had discussed and ratified the draft Common Appeal of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland. The Panel on Self-Government introduced several motions to the text of the appeal that will be registered separately.
The Common Appeal of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland based on the results of the sitting in Kyiv on February 15, 2011 was signed by the co-chairpersons of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly: Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Jerzy Wenderlich, Deputy Marshal of Sejm of the Republic of Poland.
Considering the special character of
strategic partnership between the states, importance of its further development
and pragmatic results, which was confirmed during the meeting between President
of Ukraine V.Yanukovych and President of Poland B.Komorowski within the official visit of the Head of the Ukrainian
State to the Republic of Poland on February 3-4, 2011; confirming the intention
of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland to facilitate fruitful bilateral and
multilateral cooperation; proving the willingness of the Republic of Poland to
support the European integration pursuit of Ukraine in the context of Poland´s
presidency over the EU in the 2nd half of the year 2011; acting in
the interests of both states and nations, the Common Appeal of the Inter-Parliamentary
Assembly of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland proclaims the following:
The Parties shall take efforts to boost inter-parliamentary cooperation, organizing the meetings between the committees and panels of both parliaments, and within the Parliamentary Assembly EURONEST;
The Polish Party welcomes the European choice of Ukraine, and is willing to conduct an active bilateral dialogue to facilitate Ukraine´s integration to the European Union, and ultimate acquisition of a full-fledged EU membership by Ukraine;
The Ukrainian Party expects a substantial progress in the European integration of Ukraine during the presidency of Poland over the EU in the 2nd half of the year 2011. In this context, conclusion of Ukraine-EU Association Agreement is of priority, including the arrangement of an extended free trade zone. Legislative acts of the Parties shall promote exchange and protection of investments.
The Parties welcomed the resolution of Ukraine-EU Summit in Brussels of November 22, 2010 concerning ratification of the action plan of visa regime simplification for Ukraine, and confirmed that the ultimate goal of the dialogue is introduction of a visa-free regime for the short-term visits of Ukrainian citizens to the European Union member states.
The Parties agreed to establish
efficient cooperation as to the implementation of this Action Plan, simplify
the visa regime between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland, liberalize movement
of Ukrainian citizens during the holding of the Final Part of the European
Football Championship EURO 2012, and consider the possibility of extending the local
border movement zone.
The Parties will take efforts to develop cross-border cooperation, especially in terms of delineation of passenger and cargo movement at the motor vehicle crossing point Korchova-Krakivets, and arrangement of conditions in line with the laws of Ukraine, the Republic of Poland and the European Union concerning control at the common checkpoints in the territory of both states.
The Parties agreed with the special significance of cooperation in the sphere of regional policy, especially in the light of use of positive experience of administrative-territorial reforms in Ukraine and independence of the local communities in decision-making on the daily issues, and harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the European Union standards.
Furthermore, the Parties have positively assessed the state of preparation of both states for the holding of European Football Championship 2012, and agreed to exert common efforts to guarantee its high-standard organization.
The Parties also underscored the progress in the cooperation on environmental protection of the Carpathian region and support of the Protocol on Preservation and Sustainable Development of Biological and Landscape Diversity signed in June 2008 at the Second Conference of the Carpathian Convention Parties. Ukraine and the Republic of Poland shall exert efforts to achieve the goals set by this document.