EU-Ukraine - Strengthening the Strategic Parnership

The European Union (EU) is responding to the changed political reality in Ukraine with concrete steps to strengthen the EU-Ukraine relationship. The EU supports the new leadership's own ambitious programme of political and economic reforms with a substantive and realistic package, designed to answer Ukraine's wish for increased integration with Europe.

On Monday 21 February the EU-Ukraine Action Plan under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was formally endorsed by the EU-Ukraine Co-operation Council, signalling a significant intensification of the EU-Ukraine relationship. On the same day and in order to further strengthen and enrich the Action Plan, the General Affairs External Relations Council (GAERC) agreed on further measures in support of Ukraine's reform efforts. This additional offer takes up the substance of proposals made jointly by the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neigbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. It is a powerful signal that as Ukraine makes genuine progress in carrying out internal reforms and adopting European standards, relations between the EU and Ukraine will become deeper and stronger.

EU-Ukraine Action Plan

The EU-Ukraine ENP Action Plan offers all the scope needed to allow a significant intensification of EU-Ukraine ties. It supports Ukraine's political and economic reforms, but success will require considerable effort from both sides. The Action Plan includes elements to strengthen democracy and to help prepare Ukraine for membership of the WTO, a key condition for a possible free trade area. It also expresses the EU's willingness to discuss visa facilitation, sets out clear steps towards deepening the dialogue on energy, transport and the environment and facilitates the opening of some Community programmes to Ukraine.

For the complete text please go to: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/ukraine/intro/memo05_106.htm

For more information:

EU-Ukraine Relationship:
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/ukraine/intro/index.htm

European Neighbourhood Policy:
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/index_en.htm

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• EUHR Solana welcomes the conduct of free and fair elections in Ukraine (27/3/2006)
• Ukraine to participate in EU crisis management operations (13/6/2005)
• Speech by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on the EU and Ukraine: What lies beyond the horizon? (26/4/2005)
• EP - Viktor Yushchenko 'Ukraine's future is in the EU' (23/2/2005)