Brussels, 20/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Although the EU and Ukraine initialled the association agreement text in 2012, and made progress on implementing the action plan for visa liberalisation, and although Kiev stepped up its efforts on the priorities of the association agenda, there is still much to be done, reveals the European Commission's report published on 20 March. Ukraine has made progress on legal and judicial reform, and measures have been taken in the area of the fight against money-laundering, organised crime, and the trafficking of drugs and human beings. Yet these measures have been eclipsed by selective justice and by the way the elections were conducted in October. Corruption remains high.
The EU therefore calls for greater effort in the fight against conflicts of interest and corruption, and it calls for the stabilisation and consolidation of public institutions. Ukraine must ensure that the constitutional reform process is carried out in an inclusive and transparent manner. Kiev must take rapid measures to establish a trustworthy electoral system and to address the shortcomings in last October's elections. Additional measures to reform the judicial system are needed, and account must be taken without further delay of the cases where people have been sentenced for political motives. Ukraine must also redouble its efforts to fulfil the criteria of the action plan on visa liberalisation, it must set up a macroeconomic framework that is favourable to the resumption of IMF aid, and it must avoid introducing protectionist measures. (CG/transl.fl)