According to the President’s press-office, in the Hague, President Victor Yushchenko and Dutch Premier Jan Peter Balkenende have taken part in a ceremony to sign bilateral agreements between Ukraine and the Netherlands:
2007-2009 Action Program Between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Netherlands (signed by Ukraine’s Economy Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk);
Intergovernmental Agreement on Customs Assistance and Cooperation (signed by Customs Service Head Oleksandr Yehorov);
Memorandum on Energy Cooperation Between the Energy Ministry of Ukraine and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands (signed by Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov);
Intergovernmental Memorandum on Cooperation to Enforce the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Accordance with Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol.
Requiring no additional budget funds for its implementation, the Action Program is intent to promote cooperation between the two countries in agriculture, transport, energy, energy efficiency, environmental protection, banking, education, medicine and culture. It should also help Ukraine and the Netherlands more effectively fight terrorism and prevent money laundry. The document will stimulate the development of our bilateral relations and help Ukraine fulfill tasks in the context of its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
The Customs Agreement initiates customs cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands and defines mechanisms to exchange information and share expertise.
The Energy Memorandum will help the countries elaborate a bilateral cooperation program to efficiently use energy and strengthen energy security by diversifying energy supplies to Ukraine and the European Union and using new technologies.
The Climate Memorandum will help Ukraine receive investments to introduce modern technologies. On August 11, 1997, Ukraine signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. On March 15, 1999, it joined the Kyoto Protocol, which was ratified in 2004, to confirm its commitment to resolving global environmental problems.
