Association Agreement
The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU is often referred to as a “guide to internal reforms in Ukraine”
Main
Overview
Action Plan
Reports and information
The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU has 1,200 pages and consists of
– Preamble
– Seven titles
– Annexes
– Seven protocols
– Seven titles
– Annexes
– Seven protocols
The preamble is an introductory declaration to the Agreement, which defines its purpose and basic principles.
Seven titles “General Principles”, “Political cooperation and foreign policy and security policy”, “Justice, freedom and security”, “Trade and trade-related questions”, “Economic and sector cooperation”, “Financial cooperation with anti-fraud provisions”.
The Agreement also contains institutional, general and final provisions.
The Agreement has 43 Annexes, which define EU regulations to be adopted by a certain date, and Three Protocols.
PREAMBLE
The Preamble reflects the most important aspects of relations between the EU and Ukraine. Despite its non-binding introductory character, the Preamble contains substantial references to common values and defines the scope of the entire Agreement.
TITLE I
General Principles
Title I contains general principles that are the basis for internal and external procedures of the Association between the EU and Ukraine, i.e. such principles as respect for democracy, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law; respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the inviolability of borders and independence, and the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The key elements of maintaining and expanding relations between the EU and Ukraine are the principles of a free market economy, good governance, combating corruption and various forms of transnational organized crime and terrorism, promoting sustainable development and effective multilateral contacts.
TITLE II
POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND REFORM, POLITICAL ASSOCIATION, COOPERATION AND CONVERGENCE IN THE FIELD OF FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
The Title provides for the strengthening of political dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, taking into account the gradual convergence in the field of Common foreign and security policy and Common security and defense policy. It covers issues such as the objectives of political dialogue, dialogue and cooperation on internal reforms, as well as foreign and security policy.
TITLE ІІІ
JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
This Title concerns such issues as the rule of law and respect for human rights, protection of personal data, cooperation in the field of migration, granting the right of asylum and border control, treatment of workers, labour mobility, movement of persons, money laundering and financing of terrorism, cooperation in combating drug trafficking, combating crime and corruption, cooperation in combating terrorism, as well as cooperation in the field of law. Under the Agreement the EU and Ukraine pledged to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on migration, granting the right of asylum and border control.
TITLE IV
TRADE AND RADE-RELATED MATTERS
The Title is about trade and related matters. Economic integration within the Deep And Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is intended to become a powerful stimulus for the economic growth of the country, promote real economic modernization and integration with the EU.
The DCFTA should provide a favorable climate for economic relations between Ukraine and the EU.
The DCFTA should provide a favorable climate for economic relations between Ukraine and the EU.
TITLE V
ECONOMIC AND SECTOR COOPERATION
The Title contains 28 chapters that deal with matters of energy cooperation, macroeconomic cooperation, public finance management, taxation, statistics, environment, transport, space cooperation, scientific cooperation, industrial policy and policy of enterprises of the mining and metallurgical industries, financial services, corporate law, corporate governance, accounting and audit, information society, audiovisual policy, tourism, agriculture and rural development, fisheries and maritime policy, the Danube river, consumer protection, cooperation in the field of employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, health, education, training and youth, culture, sport and physical activity, civil society, cross-border and regional cooperation, participation in projects and programmes of the European agencies based on gradual approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU rules and, where appropriate, international norms and standards.
TITLE VI
FINACIAL COOPERATION, WITH ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS
The Agreement provides opportunities for Ukraine to benefit from EU financial assistance through existing funding mechanisms and instruments to achieve the objectives of the Association Agreement. Priority areas of EU financial assistance to Ukraine are determined by appropriate indicative programs that will reflect the agreed EU and Ukraine policy priorities.
TITLE VII
INSTITUTIONAL, GENERAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
The Association Agreement provides for special institutional formation for EU-Ukraine relations, i.e. at the highest level, the EU–Ukraine Summit, providing the highest level of dialogue and a platform for meetings of the presidents, and at the ministerial level, a dialogue within the framework of the Association Council, which may conduct meetings in any format. The Association Committee with sub-committees on sector cooperation conducts assistance to the Association Council. The Association Agreement also provides for parliamentary cooperation, in particular within the framework of the Parliamentary Association Committee. Within the framework of the Agreement, a Civil Society Platform has been envisaged and is already in operation, which is able to provide recommendations to the Association Council.
LIST OF ANNEXES
ANNEXES OF TITLE IV
ANNEXES OF TITLE V
PROTOCOLS
EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
The Agreement sets specific deadlines for the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the relevant EU legislation, which range from 2 to 10 years after the entry into force of the Agreement.
In order to verify compliance with the established obligations, the Agreement provides for special provisions for monitoring, which means the implementation of a continuous assessment of the status of implementation of activities and obligations under the Agreement.
The Agreement also provides for a dispute resolution mechanism, which will be used if any of the parties does not fulfill its obligations. In the DCFTA part the additional mandatory dispute resolution mechanism established in the form of a special Protocol, which relies on the traditional method of dispute resolution in the WTO. The duration of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine is unlimited.
The Association Agreement has been translated into 22 EU languages and Ukrainian.
In order to verify compliance with the established obligations, the Agreement provides for special provisions for monitoring, which means the implementation of a continuous assessment of the status of implementation of activities and obligations under the Agreement.
The Agreement also provides for a dispute resolution mechanism, which will be used if any of the parties does not fulfill its obligations. In the DCFTA part the additional mandatory dispute resolution mechanism established in the form of a special Protocol, which relies on the traditional method of dispute resolution in the WTO. The duration of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine is unlimited.
The Association Agreement has been translated into 22 EU languages and Ukrainian.