At the meeting, Chairman of the Committee Hryhorii Nemyria called the Parliament of Ukraine to express its stand regarding the renewal of the process of European integration of Ukraine as soon as possible, as well as to determine steps that need to be taken during next days and weeks in order to restore the opportunity of signing the Association Agreement that was lost by the Yanukovych’s regime in November of last year, and to promote establishing a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU.
“There is a feeling that the first step of the Verkhovna Rada after restoring the functioning of state institutions and forming the government, should be the initiation of signing the Association Agreement without waiting for the presidential elections,” he said.
The draft resolution (Reg. No. 4299) suggests that the Verkhovna Rada “address the acting President of Ukraine with a proposal to sign the Association Agreement on behalf of Ukraine on the one part, and on behalf of the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community, and its member-states on the other part” and “immediately consider draft of anti-corruption laws necessary for completing the First phase of the Action Plan on visa liberalization between Ukraine and the European Union, particularly, the Law “On amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine (re enhancing the effectiveness of state anti-corruption policy) (Reg. No. 3522 dd. 31.10.2013).”
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is required “to immediately cancel the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dd. 21.11.2013 No. 905-р “The issue on signing the Association Agreement on behalf of Ukraine on the one part, and on behalf of the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community, and its member-states on the other part,” which suspends the preparation process towards signing Association Agreement on behalf of Ukraine on the one part, and on behalf of the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community, and its member-states on the other part, and the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dd. 18.09.2013 “On preparation to signing the Association Agreement on behalf of Ukraine on the one part, and on behalf of the European Union, and its member-states on the other part,” and “take measures regarding completion of the First (legislative) phase of the Action Plan on visa liberalization between Ukraine and the European Union, particularly, introducing biometric travel documents, resolving the issue on providing free medical care to those people who have applied for international protection in Ukraine, and in the part of determining additional and temporary protection, complying institutional component of personal data protection with legislation of Ukraine.”
“We need to confirm the irreversibility of Ukraine’s course towards European integration, the aim of which is accession to the European Union,” summed up Hryhorii Nemyria.
The Committee’s members Yurii Blahodyr, Ivan Kyrylenko, Stepan Kurpil and Borys Tarasiuk, people’s deputy Andrii Shevchenko, Director-General of the Directorate General for the European Union of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vsevolod Chentsov, Government’s Commissioner for European Integration Valerii Piatnytskyi, representatives of the Scientific Experts Council of the Committee, particularly, Director of the Laboratory of Legislative Initiatives Ihor Kohut, and Director of the European Programme of the International Renaissance Foundation Dmytro Shulha participated in the discussion.