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Opinion: The potential of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and EU is enormous
17:59 / 23.11.2012

ODESA, NOVEMBER 23rd, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― Head of the Committee on European Integration of the Verkhovna Rada and Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic cooperation Borys Tarasyuk has noted the potential of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and EU is enormous, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The Head of the Committee stated today, 23 November, during the public hearings “Ukraine’s European perspective after elections 2012”.

“The potential of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and EU is enormous. The agreement has a huge reform potential. In case of its involvement, Ukraine can be changed fundamentally. These changes can cover areas of domestic, legal, environmental policies, and the economy”, he noted.

“The idea of Association Agreement is a key component of the Eastern Partnership. The idea of the agreement appeared as a product of bilateral negotiations between the EU and Ukraine since 2007. Now the negotiations about the text of agreement are over”, Scientific Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Aleksandr Sushko noted.

“Sometimes we can hear that the implementation of the Association of Ukraine to the European Union prevents the EU countries ―some of them do not want to see Ukraine in EU. But at the same time, the main obstacle to the signing of the agreement is Ukraine itself. It is the actions of the Ukrainian authorities actually led to the suspension of the process of signing and ratifying the agreement. But for the action of the Ukrainian authorities, this agreement could be signed this year”, Mr Tarasyuk added.