16 September 2021, 15:31
Ukraine marks the seventh anniversary of the ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU
On September 16, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European
Parliament ratified the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the
European Union. This decision was supported by 355 deputies of the
Verkhovna Rada and 535 MEPs.
The Association Agreement, in terms of its scope and thematic coverage,
is the largest international legal document in the history of Ukraine
and the largest international agreement with a third country ever
concluded by the European Union. This is a road map that helps
Ukraine's integration into the European Union, as well as approximates
Ukraine’s legislation to the EU law. The Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area between Ukraine and the European Union provides for a legal
basis for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and partly
labor between Ukraine and the EU, as well as regulatory approximation
aimed at gradually integrating Ukraine's economy into the EU market.
Since the signing of the Agreement, the European Union has provided
assistance to Ukraine totaling more than 16 billion Euro. Since 2017,
there has been a visa-free regime for travel from Ukraine to the EU.
Ukrainians have the opportunity to come to the EU countries for
business or tourist purposes or for family matters for up to 90 days
during a 180-day period during the year.
The European Union is Ukraine's largest trading partner with a share of
trade in goods of 40.2% of the country's total foreign trade. In the
first half of this year, exports of goods from Ukraine increased by 45%
and reached $ 12.4 billion,
(https://www.slovoidilo.ua/2021/08/12/novyna/ekonomika/minekonomiky-zayavyly-
pro-zrostannya-eksport-yes-pochatku-roku) First Vice Prime Minister of
Ukraine Oleksiy Lyubchenko said. Today, more than 14,000 Ukrainian
companies export their products to the EU countries.
The greatest progress during the implementation of the Agreement was
achieved in the areas of: entrepreneurship (81%), public procurement
(83%), humanitarian policy (84%), technical barriers to trade (85%),
justice, freedom, security, human rights (85%) and political dialogue,
national security and defense (89%). The least progress is in the areas
of: financial cooperation and anti-fraud (24%), transport, transport
infrastructure, postal and courier services (35%) and the financial
sector (36%).
Ukraine's accession to the European Union is supported by 64% of
Ukrainians. This is demonstrated by the study, conducted by the
«Rating» sociological group in the period from July 20 to August 9,
2021 in all regions of Ukraine, except for the temporarily occupied
territories. Most of those who support Ukraine's European future are
among young people aged 16-24: 75% of respondents are in favour of
joining the EU. But even in the oldest categories, at least half of the
respondents support the movement of Ukraine in the western direction.
The issue of joining the European Union has regional differences -
support is declining from West to East. In general, among the youngest
(16-24), in contrast to the older ones, there is a tendency to
consolidate around the pro-European idea of Ukraine. Even in the East,
where the majority is against joining the EU, 58% of young people
support Ukraine's accession to the European Union.