Main points
Role: assist the Association Council in performance of its duties.
Composition: consists of officials from the highest level of the Parties who are responsible for trade and the trade-related matters.
Chairmanship: carried out alternately by the representative of Ukraine and the representative of the EU.
Created: the first meeting held on April 12 -13, 2016.
Venue: held each year alternately in Ukraine and the EU (most often in Kyiv and Brussels).
Website: Association Committee.
What does the Association Committee in Trade configuration do?
According to article 465(4) of the Agreement, the Association Committee in Trade configuration deals with matters related to Section IV “Trade and trade-related matters” of the Agreement. It assists the Association Council in the performance of its duties and functions and performs the tasks stipulated by the Agreement and assigned to it by the Association Council:
- ensures continuity of the Association's relations and proper implementation of the Agreement as a whole;
- prepares meetings and discussions of the Association Council and provides the Association Council with proposals or draft decisions or recommendations for their approval;
- the Association Council may authorize the Association Committee to make a decision;
- the Association Council may delegate to the Association Committee any of its powers, including the power to make binding decisions. Such decisions are binding on the Parties that take the necessary measures to implement them;
- if necessary, implement the decision of the Association Council.
Composition
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.
The Ukrainian delegation is headed by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade – the Trade representative of Ukraine, the EU delegation is headed by the Chief adviser of the “Trade” Directorate General of the European Commission. The meetings are attended by a representative of the European External Action Service.
The Secretary of the Association Committee in Trade configuration on the Ukrainian Part is the Head of the structural unit for European integration of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
How does the Association Committee in Trade configuration work?
The Association Committee in Trade configuration meets at least once a year and when circumstances so require. The parties preside over the Committee alternately for a period of 12 months. The first term of the chairmanship begins on the day of the first meeting of the Committee and ends on 31 December of the same year.
The official from the European Commission and the official responsible for trade and trade-related matters act together as Secretaries of the Association Committee in Trade configuration. The Secretariat of the Association Committee forms the provisional agenda for each meeting of the Committee, as well as working conclusions on the basis of proposals submitted by the Parties.
The draft minutes of each meeting of the Association Committee shall be drawn up jointly by the Secretaries of the Committee. The Committee endorses the draft minutes at its next meeting.
The draft working conclusions of each meeting are drawn up by the Secretary of the Committee of the presiding Party and are sent to the Parties together with the agenda, usually not later than 15 calendar days before the meeting. Once agreed, the working conclusions are attached to the minutes and the status of their implementation is reviewed at any next meeting of the Committee. To this end, the Committee shall draw up a matrix in which the implementation of each activity is monitored according to a specific time frame.
Meetings held
Since 2016, there have been 3 meetings of the Association Committee in Trade configuration:
- First (constituent) meeting – April 12-13, 2016 (Kyiv).
- Second meeting – September 28-29, 2017 (Brussels).
- Third meeting – November 22-23, 2018 (Kyiv).
Subcommittees
Four subcommittees have been established for the functioning of the Association Committee in Trade configuration:
1. Sanitary and Phytosanitary Management Subcommittee.
The Subcommittee was established under article 74 of the Association Agreement to deal with matters covered by Chapter 4 “Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures” of Title IV of the Association Agreement.
The Subcommittee carries out the tasks set out in article 74(2) of the Agreement in the light of the objective set out in article 59 of the Agreement. In particular, the main functions of the Subcommittee are the monitoring of the implementation of Chapter 4 of Title IV of the Agreement and examining all matters that may arise in connection with the implementation, as well as considering all issues relating to that Chapter; reviewing and amending the relevant annexes to the Chapter; and makig recommendations to other bodies in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.
The Subcommittee is composed of representatives of the competent authorities of the Parties responsible for sanitary and phytosanitary matters. The representative of the European Commission or Ukraine, responsible for sanitary and phytosanitary issues, acts as Chairman.
The Parties preside alternately for12 months.
The Subcommittee meets within three months of the entry into force of the Agreement and thereafter, at the request of either Party, or at least once a year.
- The first meeting was held on May 16, 2017 (Kyiv), which adopted the Rules of work of the Subcommittee.
- Second meeting – November 20, 2017 (Kyiv).
- Third meeting – November 16, 2018 (Kyiv).
2. The Customs Cooperation Subcommittee.
The Subcommittee was established under article 83 of the Association Agreement to deal with matters covered by Chapter 5 “Customs Administration and Trade Facilitation”, Title IV of the Association Agreement. The functions of the Subcommittee include regular consultations and monitoring of the implementation and administration of customs cooperation, cross-border customs cooperation and management, technical assistance, rules of origin, trade facilitation, and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.
The Customs Cooperation Subcommittee is membere by the representatives of the European Commission and Ukraine responsible for customs and customs-related matters. The representative of the European Commission or Ukraine responsible for customs and customs-related matters acts as Chairman.
The Subcommittee meets once a year. The parties preside alternately for 12 months.
- First meeting – June 15, 2017 (Ktiv), which adopted the Rules of work of the Subcommittee.
- Second meeting – 2 July 2018 (Brussels).
3. Subcommittee on Geographical Indications.
The Subcommittee was established under article 211 of the Association Agreement to consider the interaction of the parties in the field of protection of geographical indications.
The Subcommittee is membered by officials from the European Commission and Ukraine responsible for matters related to geographical indications.
Each Party appoints a Head of delegation, who is the contact person for all matters related to the Subcommittee, and shall act as Chairman. The Parties preside alternately for 12 months.
The Subcommittee shall meet out of turn on the territory of the European Union and on the territory of Ukraine, at the request of any Party, not later than 90 days after the receipt of such a request.
- First meeting – May 18, 2017 (Kyiv), which adopted the Rules of work of the Subcommittee.
- Second meeting – June 12, 2018 (Brussels).
4. Subcommittee on Trade and Sustainable Development.
The Subcommittee was established under article 300 of the Association Agreement to address the issues identified in Chapter 13 “Trade and sustainable development”, Title IV of the Association Agreement.
The Subcommittee is memebered by the representatives of the governing bodies of each Party responsible for trade and sustainable development. The Chairman of the Subcommittee is the representative of Ukraine or the European Commission responsible for trade and sustainable development.
- First meeting was held on May 30, 2017 (Brussels), which adopted the Rules of work of the Subcommittee.
- Second meeting – November 13, 2018 (Kyiv).