On 14 June, the XV Bilateral Meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform took place in Brussels.
Members of the UNP also took part in the event.
The European Economic and Social Committee brought together members of civil society from the European and Ukrainian sides. Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, welcomed the participants.
The Ukrainian side of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform was also greeted by Oleksandr Yarema, State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. In his speech, he welcomed Oliver Röpke’s initiative to grant Ukraine the status of Enlargement Candidate Member to engage Ukrainian civil society representatives more actively in the activities of the EESC. He noted that the public sector is currently one of the key components of Ukraine’s European integration process. And close cooperation between civil society and the Government is the key to Ukraine’s successful and rapid accession to the European Union. Oleksandr Yarema also stressed that on the eve of the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, it is extremely important to have the support and positive assessment of the government’s efforts to implement democratic reforms in the country by the European partners.
The Co-Chairs of the Platform Nadija Afanasieva and Marcin Nowacki led the meetings and discussions and shared their views on the process of Ukraine’s European integration and the role of civil society.
What was discussed:
The state of implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and progress in the implementation of the seven steps set out by the Commission in the opinion on Ukraine’s application for membership in the European Union, as well as consultations and engagement of civil society after 2027, together with:
- Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union
- Oleksandr Yarema, State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers
- Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU
- Tanel Tang, Directorate-General for Foreign Affairs and Neighbourhood Policy, European Commission
Ukraine’s integration into the EU single market: a look at sectoral implications with Oleksandr Yavorsky
Harmonisation of the agricultural agenda with Larysa Starikova
Whether the members of the EU-Ukraine Platform can submit proposals to the EU legislation The EU-Ukraine Platform discussed with the European Commission with Serhiy Moskvin
The European Green Deal and the need for the EU and Ukraine to strengthen and move forward with Tamara Malkova
The role of science in Ukraine’s recovery with Sinthia Bernava
Ways to support research and development activities in Ukraine with Ivan Kulchytskyi
The human dimension and human capital, focusing on social groups and inclusion in economic potential with Oleksandr Vozniuk
The position of Ukrainian trade unions on the restoration of the labour market in Ukraine with Oleksandr Shubin
As a result of the meeting, the members of the Platform approved a Joint Declaration in which they expressed recommendations for official Kyiv and Brussels on Ukraine’s European integration. The text of the document will soon be available to everyone.
Sourse EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform
Photo EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform
For reference:
The Ukrainian side of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform (https://eu-ua-csp.org.ua/) is the national part of the Ukraine-EU Civil Society Platform, one of the official bilateral bodies of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. In accordance with Articles 469-470 of the Association Agreement, the Platform officially represents the interests of civil society of Ukraine and the EU in the process of implementation of the Agreement, monitors and publicly controls its implementation. From the Ukrainian side, the Platform includes 15 members – representatives of public associations, trade unions and employers’ organizations. Under their auspices, the CSS unites 282 organizations.
The Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (http://eap-csf.org.ua/) is a network of more than 150 non-governmental organizations in Ukraine that advocates Ukrainian interests within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. The platform is part of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF). The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is unique multi-layered regional civil society platform aimed at promoting European integration, facilitating reforms and democratic transformations in the six Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Serving as the civil society and people-to-people dimension of the Eastern Partnership, the EaP CSF strives to strengthen civil society in the region, boost pluralism in public discourse and policy making by promoting participatory democracy and fundamental freedoms. The EaP CSF is a non-partisan bona fide non-governmental organisation.