Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze has said she believes that the year 2018 is the most important year for European integration of Ukraine.
“I consider this year to be the most important year for Ukraine’s European integration. Tangible victories have already been achieved. It is hardly possible to expect a new step from the EU, like a visa-free regime – it is simply not envisaged by European policy. European integration in 2018 will be ‘quiet,’ barely visible and incomprehensible to the general public, but not less important to the future of the country,” she wrote in an article for Ukraine’s Mirror Weekly published on Saturday, January 20.
Among the tasks of Ukraine for the current year, Klympush-Tsintsadze named the approval of a government-parliamentary roadmap for the implementation of the Association Agreement.
“In addition, this year, the relevant bilateral bodies of association should approve roadmaps on harmonizing legislation in such areas as public procurement, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, financial, postal and courier services, maritime international transportation,” she added.
In addition, she said, in 2018 Ukraine has every chance of actively integrating into the EU’s digital market.
Klympush-Tsintsadze also considers it necessary to adopt a number of legislative acts on inland waterway, rail and road transport and the security of passenger transportation, as well as the transportation of dangerous goods.
“We must carry out domestic legislative work in order to join the EU Convention on a Common Transition Procedure and the Convention on the Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods,” the article reads.
Klympush-Tsintsadze said that important tasks for this year also included the launch of an updated system of state food safety control, the adoption of bills on labeling and information for consumers and the establishment of requirements for packaging for food.
Among other things, in her opinion, it is necessary to improve the legislation in the sphere of public health, energy efficiency, and ecology.
