Ukrainian premier upbeat after talks with eu officials
31 January 2008
Published in Interfax
Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko intends to invite the EU trade commissioner (Peter Mandelson) to attend a Ukrainian cabinet meeting. The government's press service said that while informing cabinet members at a meeting today of the (Ukrainian) delegation's visit to Brussels on 28-29 January, Tymoshenko said: "As soon as Ukraine gets accepted to the WTO, we'll be expecting the EU trade commissioner to visit us. This will happen in February so that dynamic and, as far as I'm concerned, very laconic talks start on creating an EU-Ukraine free-trade zone in an expanded context, i.e. including all of the four components: goods, services, capital and workforce."
Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko intends to invite the EU trade commissioner (Peter Mandelson) to attend a Ukrainian cabinet meeting. The government's press service said that while informing cabinet members at a meeting today of the (Ukrainian) delegation's visit to Brussels on 28-29 January, Tymoshenko said: "As soon as Ukraine gets accepted to the WTO, we'll be expecting the EU trade commissioner to visit us. This will happen in February so that dynamic and, as far as I'm concerned, very laconic talks start on creating an EU-Ukraine free-trade zone in an expanded context, i.e. including all of the four components: goods, services, capital and workforce."
"There is complete agreement that we should work in
this format and I think that all ministers without
exception will be involved in this," Tymoshenko said.
She added: "When the EU commissioner arrives in
Ukraine, we'll organize his meeting with ministers,
among other people, or we'll invite him to a cabinet
meeting or probably talk in terms of sectors (i.e.
industries), but we have to feel that this is going
to be a key area of our cooperation."
Tymoshenko expressed the opinion that the talks and work on an enhanced EU-Ukraine agreement are making progress and "there is nothing that needs to be stepped up, because everything is going the way it should, according to plan".
The prime minister also said that the Ukrainian delegation convinced all EU officials (of the need) to create a general information (system) about goods crossing Ukraine's borders. "When goods cross the border and imports arrive at Ukrainian customs checkpoints, we will have an electronic export declaration," Tymoshenko said.
She also informed cabinet members that at her meetings with representatives of EU institutions it was noted that "all provisions of the simplified visa regime, which we had agreed upon, will be implemented". It was also agreed that official consultations should start on visa-free travel between Ukraine and the EU, "because no official talks (on this) are currently in progress".
Speaking about the new enhanced Ukraine-EU agreement Tymoshenko said that it will contain two key components: political association and deepest possible economic integration. "In other words, these two components, and the very term 'political association' leave a door open to Ukraine's European future. This means that they have found a wording they can use, which gives Ukraine a chance - when we are ready, and after we've gone through political and other procedures regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU," Tymoshenko said.
Tymoshenko also told ministers to step up the activity aimed at signing agreements on short-distance cross-border movement (of residents of Ukraine's border areas). "Because having short-distance cross-border movement today in practice means removing all inconveniences linked to crossing the border, particularly at the border with Poland... (ellipsis as received) Efforts to achieve this are under way and need to be stepped up," Tymoshenko said. She added that Hungary is the only country with which Ukraine signed such an agreement.
Tymoshenko expressed the opinion that the talks and work on an enhanced EU-Ukraine agreement are making progress and "there is nothing that needs to be stepped up, because everything is going the way it should, according to plan".
The prime minister also said that the Ukrainian delegation convinced all EU officials (of the need) to create a general information (system) about goods crossing Ukraine's borders. "When goods cross the border and imports arrive at Ukrainian customs checkpoints, we will have an electronic export declaration," Tymoshenko said.
She also informed cabinet members that at her meetings with representatives of EU institutions it was noted that "all provisions of the simplified visa regime, which we had agreed upon, will be implemented". It was also agreed that official consultations should start on visa-free travel between Ukraine and the EU, "because no official talks (on this) are currently in progress".
Speaking about the new enhanced Ukraine-EU agreement Tymoshenko said that it will contain two key components: political association and deepest possible economic integration. "In other words, these two components, and the very term 'political association' leave a door open to Ukraine's European future. This means that they have found a wording they can use, which gives Ukraine a chance - when we are ready, and after we've gone through political and other procedures regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU," Tymoshenko said.
Tymoshenko also told ministers to step up the activity aimed at signing agreements on short-distance cross-border movement (of residents of Ukraine's border areas). "Because having short-distance cross-border movement today in practice means removing all inconveniences linked to crossing the border, particularly at the border with Poland... (ellipsis as received) Efforts to achieve this are under way and need to be stepped up," Tymoshenko said. She added that Hungary is the only country with which Ukraine signed such an agreement.