The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU (articles 461-470) provides for the establishment of joint bodies. The joint bodies of the Association are, inter alia, the Association Council, the Association Committee, the Parliamentary Association Committee and the Civil Society Platform.
Political dialogue and high-level policy dialogue between the Parties takes place at the level of summits with the participation of the President of Ukraine and the leadership of the European Union.
The Association Council was established under article 461 of the Agreement to monitor and control the implementation of the Agreement and to review the operation of the Agreement in the light of its objectives. Also, the Association Council may consider important issues arising under this Agreement and any other bilateral or international issues of mutual interest. Meetings of the Association Council are held regularly at the Ministerial level.
The Association Committee, established in accordance with article 464 of the Agreement, is a subsidiary body of the Association Council and the highest body of the Association at the expert level. The Association Committee consists of representatives of ministries, mainly at the level of Deputy Ministers for European integration. Meetings are held at least once a year and when circumstances so require.
Under the article 466 of the Agreement, the Association Committee is assisted by subcommittees. There are two sub-committees within the Association Committee: the Subcommittee on Freedom, Security And Justice and the Subcommittee on Economic and other Sector Cooperation, formed in accordance with Decision No.2/2014 of the Association Council between Ukraine and the EU of December 15, 2014.
The Association Committee in Trade configuration was established under article 465(4) of the Agreement to deal with all matters related to Section IV (“Trade and trade-related matters”). The Association Committee in Trade configuration includes top-level officials from Ukraine and the European Commission who are responsible for trade and trade-related matters. Meetings are held at least once a year and when circumstances so require.
The Parliamentary Association Committee was established under article 467 of the Agreement as a forum for members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament to hold meetings and exchange views. Meetings of the Parliamentary Association Committee are held twice a year.
The Civil Society Platform was established under article 469 of the Agreement to inform the civil society of the Parties on the implementation of the Agreement and to take into account their contribution to its implementation. Each of the Parties to the Civil Society Platform consists of 15 people representing three sectors: trade unions, employers and other civil society organizations.
In order to properly organize the activities of the Association Council and the Association Committee on the Ukrainian Part, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the Resolution No. 700 of December 10, 2014.
The Resolution No. 646 of July 8, 2015 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the Procedure for organizing the work of subcommittees of the Association Committee between Ukraine and the EU, including the Association Committee in Trade configuration, and Ukraine–EU dialogues.
The Resolution No. 84 of March 4, 2015 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine established that the decisions and recommendations of the Association Council and the Association Committee, including the decisions and recommendations of the Association Committee in Trade configuration, are posted on the Government portal, as well as published in the Official journal of Ukraine within ten days from the date of their attesting by the Secretaries of the mentioned bodies.
The Decision No. 1/2014 of the Association Council between Ukraine and the EU of 15 December 2014 approved the regulations of the Association Council and the Association Committee and its subcommittees.
The Order No. 831 of June 15, 2015 of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the Regulations on the Ukrainian Part of the Parliamentary Association Committee.
The Regulations of the EU–Ukraine Civil Society Platform were adopted by the members of the European Economic and Social Committee and representatives of the civil society of Ukraine during the founding meeting on April 16, 2015.
The Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in accordance with sub-paragraph 14 of paragraph 4 of the Regulation No. 759 approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of October 4, 2017, providing for joint meetings of the Association Council between Ukraine and the EU, the Association Committee between Ukraine and the EU, subcommittees and dialogues, working meetings of their Ukrainian Part, performs the functions of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Part of these bodies, and also participates in joint meetings and meetings of the Ukrainian Part of other bilateral bodies formed in accordance with the Agreement and other international treaties of Ukraine in the field of European integration. Also, according to sub-paragraph 15 of paragraph 4, the Government Office also ensures the interaction of members of the bilateral bodies of the Association from the Ukrainian Part and organizes quarterly meetings with the participation of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, with the representatives of the Ukrainian Part of the EU—Ukraine Civil Society Platform.