Brussels, 15/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 15 May, the European Commission adopted two proposals ahead of a decision from the Council regarding the association agreement between the EU and Ukraine, stressing that the signing of the agreement will depend on Ukraine's political progress. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle said on Twitter that the Commission is completing the technical measures so as to allow the signing of the association agreement in Vilnius (at the Eastern Partnership summit in November), once Kiev keeps its promises on the political decisions.
Signing of the agreement conditional on Kiev's progress. In its press release, the Commission said that it has adopted the proposals for Council decisions on the signing and provisional application, and on the conclusion, of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. “But this step does not prejudge in any way the Council's decision”, the Commission underlined. The adoption of the Commission's proposals “is a necessary step in order to enable the European Union to technically move ahead with the necessary preparatory arrangements to enable a possible signing at the Vilnius summit” at the end of November, the Commission explained, adding that “the EU will only sign if Ukraine creates the necessary political circumstances”.
These two proposals are accompanied by a political statement which reiterates the Council conclusions of 10 December - conclusions that underlined its desire to sign the agreement as soon as the authorities have shown determined action and tangible progress in the follow up of the parliamentary elections in October, on the issues of selective justice and on the reforms of the association agenda. It is now up to the Ukrainian authorities to settle the outstanding issues so as to allow the signing of the agreement, the Commission stated.
These proposals will soon be passed to the Council. Before authorising the signing of the agreement, the member states must have sufficient time for their internal procedures, including consultation of the national parliaments, the Commission stressed. “Taken into consideration the length and complexity of the agreement, this process will take a minimum of six months”, the Commission added. The Parliament, for its part, does not have to give its agreement.
Ukraine welcomes the adoptions. The foreign affairs adviser to the Ukrainian president, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, welcomed these adoptions, explaining that they were a powerful incentive for the Urkainian authorities to continue their progress ahead of the Vilnius summit. In his opinion, “despite its technical nature, the Commission decision is a recognition of the progress that Ukraine recently reached in the context of the EU Council conclusions on foreign affairs, on 10 December 2012, the joint statement of the EU-Ukraine summit on 25 February 2013, and the relevant decisions of the president of Ukraine to perform these agreements”, Yelisieiev added, stating that this was, however, only one of the preparatory steps of the document, “before signing this autumn”.
One of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, Jacek Protasiewicz (EPP, Poland), has underlined that these adoptions are a technical but tangible gesture that shows the EU's firm commitment and openness towards its closest partners and neighbours, such as Ukraine. He has urged the Ukainian government not to lose momentum and to take all the demands seriously that have been set out by the EU for the signing of the agreement. (CG/transl.fl)