c.ph.s.,
dosent Moiseyeva F.A.
Solovuova
Yulia
Donetsk national university of
economics and trade
named after Mikhail Tugan-Baranovsky
UKRAINE - EUROPEAN UNION: REALITIES AND PERSPECTIVES
Ukraine is a
priority partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The EU
is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond mere
bilateral co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of
political co-operation [3].
Ukrainian membership in the European
Union was declared
a strategic goal of Ukraine. Relations between Ukraine and the Åurîðåan Union were established in December 1991,
when the Ìinister for
Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as the EU Presidency în behalf of the Union official1y ãåñîgnizåd the independence of Ukraine. Òhå Ðartnåãshið and Cooperation Agreement between Ukraine and
the EU (PGA) signed în
16 June 1994 (entered into force în 1 March 1998) constitutes the legal base of the EU-Ukraine relations
and establishes cooperation în à wide range
of political, trade, åñînîmiñ and humanitarian issues. Meeting of the Partnership
Council between the European Union and Ukraine held its third meeting on 23 May
2000 marks a qualitative shift in relations between the European Union and
Ukraine. The EU considers Ukraine as a strategic partner, and welcomes its
pro-European orientation. The EU remains committed to the integration of
Ukraine into the world economy and into a wider area of economic cooperation in
Europe.
The EU
welcomed the determination of the Ukrainian government to pass ahead with an
ambitious and far-reaching programme of economic reform. In reply, Ukraine
reaffirmed the priority that it gives to accession in the WTO and closer
relations with the EU. To this end, the EU urged Ukraine to pass ahead with
long-overdue structural reforms in agriculture and energy, along with
privatisation of "strategic" enterprises. The EU stands ready to
support this reform programme through technical assistance, and once IMF
lending has resumed, through macro-financial assistance [1].
On January 13,
2005, the European Parliament almost unanimously (467
votes to 19 in favor) passed a motion stating the wish of the European
Parliament to establish closer ties with Ukraine in view of the possibility of
EU membership.
A joint EU-Ukraine Action Plan was endorsed by the
EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council on 21 February 2005. It is based on the Partnership and Co-operation
Agreement (PCA) and provides a comprehensive and ambitious framework
for joint work with Ukraine, in all key areas of reform [2]. In March 2007, the
EU and Ukraine started talks about a new "wider agreement," including
a free trade zone and a closer relationship in the issue of energy policy
between the EU and Ukraine. Several negotiating Rounds have been organised
since, alternately in Brussels and Kiev. Talks on a free trade
agreement between Ukraine and the European Union started on February 18,
2008. On July 22, 2008, it
was announced that a Stabilisation and Association agreement will be signed
between Ukraine and the EU on September 8, 2008 in Evian (France). Currently,
most political fractions in Ukraine advocate joining the EU and developing closer ties
with Western Europe.
At present there are 7 priorities of the EU-Ukãàinå
ñîîðåãàtiîn envisaged by the ÐÑÀ's fràmåwîãk: energy, trade and investments,
justice and home affairs, adaptation of the Ukrainian legislation to that of
the EU, environment, transport, trans-border cooperation, collaboration in the
sphere of science, technology and outer space. The EU-Ukraine dialogue is
carried out through annual meetings of the Ukraine Summit with the
participation of the President of Ukraine; Cooperation Council with the
participation of the Prime-Minister of Ukraine; Cooperation Committee;
Committee on parliamentary cooperation; regular Ukraine-EU Òriyka meetings;
permanent expert consultations. The EU and Ukraine annually ho1d more that 80
different official meetings and ñînsultàtiîns at the high and expert leve1s.
But our European integration course today is rather a
political and psychological choice without proper economic substantiation. The
EU enlargement may have negative consequences for Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus
and complicate the access of the goods to neighbouring countries - Poland,
Slovak Republic, Hungary and Romania [1].
As Ukraine became a member of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) in May 2008, negotiations on the establishment of a Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) could be launched, as an integral part of
the Association Agreement. Negotiations for this DCFTA will continue in 2011.
In November 2009, the Cooperation Council adopted the
EU-Ukraine Association Agenda. This Agenda replaces the former Action PlanAll
available translations., and will prepare for and facilitate the entry into
force of the new Agreement. For 2011, a list of priorities for action was
jointly agreed by Ukraine and the EU. The Association Agreement will
significantly deepen Ukraine’s political association and economic integration
with the EU [3].
Adaptation of the Social Policy of Ukraine to the EU standards includes reforming of the systems of insurance, labour protections, public healts, pension ensuring, employment policy and other branches of social policy according to the EU standards and gradual achieving the common European level of social security and protection of population. The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation. Ukraine is a priority partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy.
Literature:
1. Council of the European Union //
[Ýëåêòðîííûé ðåñóðñ]. – 2009. – 15 êÁ – URL: http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/er/08741communiqu%C3%A9.doc.html
2. European Union // [Ýëåêòðîííûé ðåñóðñ]. – 2009. – 74 êÁ – URL: http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/ukraine/index_en.htm
3. European Union. External action // [Ýëåêòðîííûé ðåñóðñ]. – 2011. – 74 êÁ – URL: http://eeas.europa.eu/ukraine/index_en.htm