21 October 2011
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht told the European Parliament yesterday that he agreed with Ukraine on all elements of a final trade deal with Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Andriy Klyuev on Wednesday and that it was up to Ukraine to create political conditions so the deal could materialize. The first-of-its-kind Deep & Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the EU will cover all trade-related areas (including services, intellectual property rights, customs, public procurement, energy-related issues, competition, et cetera) and be embedded in the new Association Agreement. Klyuev said the next round of negotiations on the Association Agreement with the EU would take place next week. In separate statement, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Irina Akimova said the free trade agreement could be signed independently of the Association Agreement. Prior to the sentencing of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to a seven-year prison term, both sides had stated that they wanted to sign the Association Agreement by the end of the year. Brad Wells: The conclusion of negotiations on the free trade portion of the agreement is a positive development, but widely expected. The key stumbling block is whether Ukrainian officials will make any movement on EU demands to improve respect for democratic principles of governance and rule of law, which they have so far shown little interest in doing.