Debating the economic and trade issues of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

The workshop aimed to debate the economic and trade issues of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement that is currently being negotiated. In particular, it intended to address the meaning of "Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement", the context and the implications of the agreement with respect to further EU-Ukraine economic integration and to economic reforms in Ukraine.

The workshop was introduced and moderated by Vital Moreira, the Chair of the European Parliament Committee for International Trade. Beside Marek Dabrowski, Karel De Gucht, Commissioner for Trade, and Ukrainian First Deputy Premier and Economic Development and Trade Minister Andriy Kliuyev presented the state of play of the negotiations and their perspective.

Marek Dabrowski provided a brief explainig the context of the negotiations launched, as well as the content and implications of the Agreement from an economic and trade perspective. Some of the following issues were addressed:

• Political and economic context of the negotiations of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement; the implications that the absence of preconditions to enter the negotiations might have on the conclusion and the subsequent implementation of the Agreement;
• Meaning of "Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement" from an economic perspective;
• Potential outcomes as to the reform process in Ukraine and further EU-Ukraine economic integration;
• Influence on business climate, in particular on investments;
• Outstanding issues in the negotiations, with particular attention to agriculture, transport, energy, export duties and car production;
• Lessons to be learned from the process in view of the forthcoming negotiations with Moldova and Georgia.