A meeting of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union took place. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanyshyna and Deputy Ministers for European Integration.
During the joint meeting the parties discussed the state of implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, the main achievements for 2019-2020, economic and sectoral cooperation within the Agreement, as well as current issues and priorities in joint work of the Parliament and Government of Ukraine.
Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanyshyna noted that in 2020 Ukraine has fulfilled the Association Agreement with the EU by almost 30%. According to her, a significant part of the systemic obligations to approximate Ukrainian legislation to EU requirements has already been fulfilled, in particular, on customs regulation. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed hope that the Verkhovna Rada would adopt a number of important bills that would help Ukraine make significant progress in the process of European integration.
Olga Stefanishyna also said that Ukraine had received confirmation from the EU on the possibility of reviewing the effectiveness of the Association Agreement. During the first half of 2021, the parties will analyze the state of implementation of the Agreement, after which the tools for its revision will be presented.
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Ukraine's Integration unto the European Union Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze stressed the importance of establishing an effective mechanism for consulting with the European Commission on legislative initiatives in the energy sector. Under the terms of Annex XXVII to the Agreement, Ukraine is obliged to send all energy draft laws to the European Commission. Where they provide an opinion on their compatibility with EU law. According to the Chairperson of the Committee, such a mechanism of interaction between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the relevant ministry and the European Commission has not been created or worked out yet.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze also took the initiative to consider the priority bills for adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the next meeting of the Committee. The Committee will consider them for compliance with EU law and provide its conclusions.