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Kyiv will for the first time have the opportunity to bring up the issue.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze says Ukraine will offer the European Union to revise the Association Agreement of 2014 due to changes in EU legal regulations and market development, as well as changes in Ukraine's economy structure.
"In 2020, five years into the Association Agreement's coming into force, we really have the opportunity, for the first time, to talk about its revision," the official said at a press conference in Kyiv on May 15.
In particular, she was asked if there were any contacts with President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky's team regarding possible changes in the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement.
"No, we haven't discussed with representatives of Team Zelensky either about amending the Agreement or any other things. I hope that, indeed, the team of the newly elected president will be interested in hearing recommendations developed by the government ... regarding European integration," she said.
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In this regard, the deputy prime minister noted the need to work with colleagues from various ministries to offer the European Union Ukraine's vision regarding such a revision due to the fact that the country's economic structure has changed while the EU has significantly amended its regulations in various sectors.
"Particularly, we are now talking about the digital market, as the relevant legal regulation in the European Union has changed significantly. When Ukraine negotiated and signed the Agreement, there were three EU regulations in the digital industry and no directives that would regulate this market. Therefore, it is important for us now to coordinate our joint work on the issue," she stressed.
"Therefore, we will indeed propose a review, but based on our national interest, and the development of the market and law in the European Union," she added.
UNIAN memo. In 2014, the European Union and Ukraine signed the Association Agreement, which marked the beginning of a new period in relations between the EU and Ukraine.
The Agreement is the main instrument for ensuring Ukraine's rapprochement with the EU: it contributes to the deepening of political relations, stronger economic ties, and mutual respect for common values. The economic part of the agreement, on a deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA), provides Ukraine with an opportunity to expand trade relations and economic development, since it opens up new markets, contributes to harmonizing legislation, standards, and regulations in various sectors. The latter will help Ukraine integrate EU standards into key sectors of the economy.