EU-UKRAINE
PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE
Remote
Meeting 7 December 2020 (Brussels/Kyiv)
STATEMENT
In order to ensure continuity of contacts and a robust parliamentary
dimension to bilateral relations, a remote session of the EU-Ukraine
Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) was held on 7 December 2020.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vadym Halaichuk on behalf of the
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and by Witold Waszczykowski on behalf of the
European Parliament.
Participants underlined the importance of regular and frequent contacts
and structured deliberations, while emphasising that this remote
meeting cannot be regarded as a viable substitute for the regular PAC
meetings and look forward to return to physical meetings once
circumstances allow.
Having discussed the recent developments in Ukraine and EU-Ukraine
relations, and having exchanged views on the priorities for future
developments with representatives of the Ukrainian government and the
European External Action Service and the European Commission, the PAC
Bureau agreed upon the following statement.
On EU-Ukraine relations and their parliamentary dimension
Members reiterated the pro-European strategic course enshrined in the
Constitution of Ukraine and welcomed that the 22nd EU-Ukraine Summit
acknowledged the European aspirations of Ukraine based on Ukraine’s
European perspective pursuant to Article 49 of the TEU. Members
underlined the implementation of the Association Agreement (AA)/Deep
and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) as a reflection of the
shared ambition of the EU and Ukraine to move towards political
association and economic integration, also serving as a blueprint for
reform.
Discussions emphasised the crucial role the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
as the key law-making body in pursuing an ambitious legislative agenda
and recalled the need to respect an adequate balance between enacting a
steady pace of reforms and allowing for transparency and appropriate
parliamentary scrutiny. Both sides committed themselves to step up
cooperation on practical institutional matters, including in the
framework of the renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the
European and the Ukrainian Parliaments.
Members acknowledged the significant challenges posed by the COVID-19
pandemic to parliamentary work but reiterated their resolve to pursue
an ambitious parliamentary agenda and fulfil their key legislative,
budgetary and scrutiny functions.
Reforms and legislative agenda
The PAC welcomed recently enacted legislation in Ukraine, notably
banking reform, the law on safety and quality of donor blood and blood
components, the law on inland water transport, agricultural land
reform, decentralisation and administrative reform and legislation on
digital communications and markets.
Partners agreed on the need to ensure and maintain the independence of
the National Bank of Ukraine and its competent management of monetary
policy. The effective cooperation with international financial
institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, based on
meeting relevant criteria and trust, was recognised as a cornerstone of
a country's economic stability at times of dramatic challenges.
Both sides recognise the need to address the long-term economic and
social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and to this effect encourage
further joint efforts in the area of public health, the recalibration
of EU assistance, as well as ensuring long-term macrofinancial
stability. Members also recognise the significant potential to step up
sectoral cooperation in priority areas, such as the digital economy,
energy and climate change and welcome in particular Ukraine’s ambitions
to align itself with the EU’s digital single market and European Green
Deal objectives and policies.
Members called on the EU Member States to respect the European
aspirations of Ukraine and its European choice as stated in the
Association Agreement and abstain from any actions that could have a
negative impact on the implementation of the objectives of the
Association Agreement, including the gradual integration of Ukraine
into the EU Internal Market.
Participants stressed the need for Ukraine and the EU to consider
jointly the update of the trade and sectoral parts of the Association
Agreement. They called in this regard for the comprehensive review in
2021 of the achievement of the Agreement's objectives.
Members commended the work of the Support Group for Ukraine in
supporting reforms in Ukraine, contributing to the efficient
implementation of the AA and the DCFTA and reiterated the need for the
Commission to step up supporting capacity development in public
administration and civil society.
Common values and anticorruption
Participants reiterated that the relationship between the EU and
Ukraine is based on common values, namely respect for democratic
principles, the rule of law, good governance, human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
Participants underlined the crucial importance of ensuring full respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights of
minorities, preserving freedom of expression and media pluralism.
Minorities in Ukraine and the European Union have the right to preserve
their language, customs and culture, thereby contributing to the
enrichment of cultural heritage. It is therefore of paramount
importance to ensure the right to education in their mother tongue, at
all levels.
Against the backdrop of poisonous disinformation and propaganda
originating from the aggressor state, partners agreed that it is vital
for Ukraine to support, not undermine independent media outlets,
including the opposition ones.
PAC members stressed that the consolidation of the rule of law,
incorporating fair, impartial and independent judicial proceedings, and
good governance, including the effective fight against corruption,
constitute a fundamental basis for economic recovery and development.
In this respect they stressed the importance of an independent,
accountable, transparent, and effective justice system, vital for the
further development of relations between the EU and Ukraine.
Members acknowledged that the recent local elections in Ukraine were a
significant step in further consolidating democracy at local level and
that they were evaluated as free and fair, despite the challenges of
the Covid-19 pandemic. They also constitute an important building block
complementing the recently enacted decentralisation and administrative
reform.
The partners discussed current proposals to overcome the legal and
institutional hindrances in the fight against corruption, ensuing form
the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine of 27 October. They
expressed hope that adequate legislative and institutional solutions
can be pursued that ensure an efficient, transparent and irreversible
reform of the anti-corruption architecture, while also preserving legal
stability and upholding public trust in the constitutional order of
Ukraine.
In this respect they welcomed the recent adoption by the Verkhovna Rada
of Ukraine of the draft law reinstating criminal liability for public
officials who provide deliberately false information in their mandatory
assets declarations. Members noted the need for any forthcoming
legislation to take into account any relevant guidance provided by the
awaited opinion of the Venice Commission.
It was acknowledged that there is a need for an inclusive legislative
process in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, opposition and
civil society, as well as international partners if the situation so
requires.
Members underlined the importance of the fight against corruption as a
key commitment made by Ukraine, notably as part of the
visa-liberalisation agenda, and underlined the need for all
institutions of the anti-corruption architecture to remain independent,
effective and adequately resourced. All selection procedures should be
transparent and merit-based, with appropriate vetting and integrity
checks.
Security situation, Crimea, Donbas and the wider Eastern Partnership
region
The PAC emphasised its strong and unwavering support for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its
internationally recognised borders and recalled its repeated
condemnation of Russia’s acts of aggression against Ukraine, which
constitute a serious and deliberate violation of international law,
democratic principles and fundamental values.
Members reiterated their support for the internationally coordinated
sanctions against Russia and stressed that lifting sanctions should not
occur until all relevant conditions have been met, including the full
implementation of the Minsk Agreements and the restoration of the
territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised
borders.
They also strongly condemned human rights violations carried out by
Russia on the occupied territories and called for international law,
international humanitarian law as well as the freedom of navigation to
be respected by the Russian Federation.
Members commended the approval of the global human rights sanctions
mechanism of the EU, as well as the established horizontal sanctions
mechanism on cyber crimes.
Members expressed grave concern about the humanitarian situation in the
territories currently not controlled by the Ukrainian Government,
including against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic and urged
international access and support to address this.
Members continue to condemn the illegal occupation of Crimea and
Sevastopol and the de facto occupation of certain areas of Donetsk and
Luhansk. They called on the Russian Federation to fulfil its
international obligations, to withdraw its military forces from the
territory of Ukraine.
Participants welcomed the launch of the Crimean Platform as a viable
mechanism to focus international attention on specific issues,
including serious human rights violations, against the background of
the illegal occupied Crimean peninsula, allowing for contacts at
different levels, including among parliamentarians. Members expressed
confidence that the Platform could contribute to finding a viable
solution to the current unacceptable situation in Crimea.