Motion for a resolution - B7-0120/2010Motion for a resolution
B7-0120/2010

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Ukraine

17.2.2010

to wind up the debate on the statement by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Paweł Zalewski, Elmar Brok, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Ioannis Kasoulides, Cristian Dan Preda, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Filip Kaczmarek, Traian Ungureanu, Mário David on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0116/2010

Procedure : 2010/2525(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B7-0120/2010
Texts tabled :
B7-0120/2010
Debates :
Texts adopted :

B7‑0120/2010

European Parliament resolution on Ukraine

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the EU-Ukraine Association Agenda, which replaces the EU-Ukraine Action Plan and endorsed by the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council in June 2009,

–   having regard to the negotiations opened on 5 March 2007 on an Association Agreement (AA) to replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA),

–   having regard to the EU-Ukraine Readmission and Visa Facilitation Agreements, signed in June 2007 and ratified by Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada in January 2008,

–   having regard to the European Union’s Eastern Partnership, as endorsed by the European Council in December 2008 and established by the Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership summit of 7 May 2009,

–   having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of energy between the European Union and Ukraine, signed on 1 December 2005,

–   having regard to Ukraine’s membership of the World Trade Organisation since March 2008,

–   having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a dialogue on regional policy and development of regional cooperation between the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine and the European Commission, signed on 22 July 2009

–   having regard to the approval of Ukraine’s accession to the Energy Community Treaty (ECT) by the ECT Ministerial Council in Zagreb on 18 December 2009,

–   having regard to the Joint Declaration adopted by the Joint EU-Ukraine International Investment Conference on the Modernisation of the Gas Transit System which took place on 23 March 2009,

–   having regard to the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on transit fees on oil supplies for 2010 that was concluded in December 2009,

–   having regard to the activities of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and its Election Observation Mission,

–   having regard to the thirteenth meeting of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee on 26 and 27 October 2009 in Kiev, and in particular the Final Statement and Recommendations,

–   having regard to the results of the first round of the Ukrainian presidential elections on 17 January 2010 and the second round on 7 February 2010,

–   having regard to the Statements of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission to Ukraine for the presidential elections of 17 January (first round) and 7 February 2010 (second round),

–   having regard to the statement of 8 February 2010 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, on both rounds of the Ukrainian presidential elections,

–   having regard to the last-minute changes to Ukrainian electoral law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on 3 February 2010, before the second round of the presidential elections,

–   having regard to the results of recent EU-Ukraine Summits, including the recognition by the EU-Ukraine 2008 Summit in Paris of Ukraine as a European country which shares a common history and common values with the countries of the European Union, and the conclusions of the EU-Ukraine Summit held in Kiev on 4 December 2009,

–   having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Ukraine is a neighbour of strategic importance to the EU and the natural 'bridge' connecting the EU with Russia and Central Asia; whereas its size, resources, population and geographical location give Ukraine a distinctive position in Europe and make it a key regional actor,

B.  whereas the EU has a 1257-kilometre common border with Ukraine, with strong commercial and cultural links and further opportunities for regional trade, industrial cooperation and economic growth,

C. whereas the Union is seeking to secure Ukraine as a stable, democratic country under the rule of law with a market economy based on fair competition and social cohesion,

D. whereas one of Parliament's main objectives in the foreign policy sphere is to enhance and foster the Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership, and whereas the political, economic and social issues arising in Eastern Europe constitute shared challenges calling for a coordinated European response,

E.  whereas such efforts require the creation of a climate of good will in which the free exchange of individuals, goods and ideas is possible,

F.  whereas Ukraine's accession to a number of international organisations, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Energy Community, shows the country's desire to embrace both international and European standards,

G. whereas the EU and Ukraine are determined to move rapidly towards achieving the objective of creating a common free trade area, as was confirmed during recent high-level meetings and summits,

H. whereas the elections of 17 January and 7 February 2010 were free and fair, as was confirmed by Parliament's Election Observation Mission, the OSCE/ODIHR Mission and the Council of Europe; whereas the last-minute changes to Ukrainian electoral law, the protests against a fair election in certain parts of the country and the political and institutional instabilities are still matters of concern,

I.   whereas closer cooperation between the EU and the Ukraine is in the interests of both parties and corresponds to the will of the Ukrainian people,

RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND RELATIONS WITH THE EU

1.  Notes the results of the Ukrainian Presidential elections; calls, in this regard, on the future President to take a performance-based approach and work with the government of Ukraine in order to foster the development of democratic mechanisms, conduct necessary political and economic reforms and enhance stability and unity in the country;

2.  Welcomes the statement of the International Election Observation Mission to the effect that the elections were held in a free and fair manner in line with European values and that all commitments were met; notes, however, that further work is needed to resolve all the shortcomings referred to in the Statement, in order to ensure democracy in Ukraine; calls on all Ukrainian political parties and their leaders to work together on strengthening Ukraine;

3.  Stresses that, in addition to the holding of free elections, a suitable, clear and stable legal framework needs to be created; calls on all parties to revise, and adopt the necessary changes to, Ukrainian electoral law, in accordance with international standards, in order to create a unified election code before holding the next elections;

4.  Appeals to Ukraine to take this opportunity to increase its internal efforts to strengthen the rule of law and human rights, including civil rights and minority rights and, in particular, the right to education in minority languages, as well as the fight against corruption, public finance structural reforms and a free market within the country;

5.  Expects Ukraine to reiterate its determination to continue along its path towards European integration, as well as towards strong cooperation with the EU in the neighbourhood area under the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea Synergy policies;

6.  Calls, at the same time, on the Commission and the Council to reaffirm the Union's willingness to support Ukraine’s European aspirations and help the country to achieve this objective by means of economic and practical measures including the steps set out by the EU-Ukraine Association Agenda and the Eastern Partnership; calls on the Commission and the Council to base the level of this support on the verified performance of the Ukrainian leadership in imposing the rule of law and economic reforms;

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP AND ASSOCIATION

7.  Calls on the Union and the Member States to fully support the measures outlined in the Eastern Partnership, including the flagship initiatives on integrated border management and energy and a Free Trade Area (FTA), as the first steps in a far-reaching partnership;

8.  Commends the Ukrainian Parliament's engagement with the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, which is about to be formally launched to scrutinise cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership and ensure the effectiveness of parliamentary activities and the implementation of the EU standards and practices in Ukraine, among other things;

9.  Calls for the Association Agenda to be fully implemented with a view to the completion of AA negotiations before 2011;

10. Asks the Commission to strengthen programmes implemented under the Cohesion Fund and other European funds with a view to increasing cross-border contacts with Ukraine;

11. Calls on the Eastern Partnership member states to strengthen their mutual political and economic relations in order to enhance the multilateral approach;

12. Stresses the importance of stepping up cooperation on youth and student exchanges and the development of scholarship programmes which will enable Ukrainians to become acquainted with free, democratic countries and the European Union and to establish international contacts, and will thus have a positive impact on socio-economic and cultural cooperation between Ukraine and a free EU and its Member States;

13. Deeply deplores the decision by the outgoing President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, posthumously to award Stepan Bandera, a leader of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) which collaborated with Nazi Germany, the title of 'National Hero of Ukraine'; hopes, in this regard, that the new Ukrainian leadership will reconsider such decisions and will maintain its commitment to European values;

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

14. Calls for cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the trade and economic spheres, which was given a major boost by Ukraine's accession to the WTO, to be stepped up, and encourages both sides to make a stronger commitment to the negotiations on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area;

15. Calls for the business and investment climate in Ukraine to be improved, specifically by means of progress on the rule of law, the reform of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, which would be of great benefit to economic relations;

16. Considers the stepping up of high-level cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of energy to be vital, and urges progress towards the liberalisation of the Ukrainian energy market and its integration into Europe;

17. Stresses the importance of ensuring a safe, transparent and reliable energy transit system between Ukraine and the EU, and therefore welcomes the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on transit fees for 2010; calls, however, for future agreements to be concluded well before they are to come into force, in order to prevent uncertainty as to energy supplies;

18. Welcomes the agreement on EU financing of Ukrainian gas infrastructure and calls for further cooperation by the EU on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with a view to Ukraine and the EU taking joint responsibility for EU-bound gas and oil flows and transit;

19. Calls on Ukraine to fully implement and ratify its accession to the Energy Community Treaty and swiftly to adopt a new gas law which complies with EU Directive 2003/55/EC;

20. Stresses the need for Ukraine to further reform its internal electricity market and other energy sectors in order to meet European standards and allow greater competition;

21. Stresses that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement should ensure Ukraine's gradual integration into the EU internal market by extending the four freedoms to the country;

22. Welcomes the intention to set up a European Investment Bank (EIB) representation in Kiev, and stresses the importance of further extending the EIB engagement in Ukraine;

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT

23. Notes the progress made in implementing the readmission and visa facilitation agreements, and calls for further dialogue on amending the visa facilitation agreement with a view to, in particular, extending the categories of Ukrainian citizens benefiting from the visa facilitation agreement and using appropriate means to facilitate the general visa procedure for Ukrainian nationals, in view of the new EU visa legislation;

24. Calls on Member States to apply the Visa Code in such a way as to make the visa application and issuing process as quick and easy as possible for those applying and to keep any other processing fees to a minimum; calls on all Member States to respect the Union’s visa facilitation agreement and to refrain from using any unnecessary procedures;

25. Welcomes the progress made towards the long-term goal of establishing a visa-free regime with Ukraine, and the creation a structured visa dialogue towards this end; believes that achieving this goal will facilitate the further integration of Ukraine into European structures;

26. Stresses the need for the Council to endorse, this year, a roadmap to visa-free travel for Ukraine, as called for in the Commission communication on the Eastern Partnership; calls on the Council to give the Commission a mandate to conduct, in the near future, a review of the visa facilitation agreement with Ukraine, with a view to waiving all visa fees, in line with Article 14(4) of the agreement and the second step of the Mobility and Security Pact;

27. Asks the Commission to work with the Member States and Ukraine to prepare special measures to be introduced in relation to the 2012 European Football Championship, with a view to facilitating travel by ticket holders;

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28. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States and the government and parliament of Ukraine.