Partnership and cooperation agreement EC/Ukraine

Adopting the report by Mrs Erika MANN (PSE, D), the European Parliament expressed its concern at the current economic situation in Ukraine, where there had been an even sharper decline in productivity than in the other republics of the CIS. It therefore welcomed the agreement concluded between the Ukraine and the IMF for balance of payments aid totaling 371 million dollars and trusted that the Council would approve the Commission proposal to grant the Ukraine two other medium-term aid payments of ECU 85 and 200 million since, without the financial contribution of the European Union and financial aid from other donor states and international financial institutions, the Ukraine would be unable to stabilize its balance of payments. As regards the agricultural market, which is a very important market for Ukraine, the European Parliament called on the Commission to examine what additional trade concessions could be granted to Ukraine without disrupting the Union markets. It also hoped that forthcoming negotiations on specific additional agreements (trade in textiles, steel products, nuclear materials) could be governed by a similar agreement. It highlighted the problems which Ukraine has had to contend with since the Chernobyl disaster and called for solutions to be found to mitigate the effects (including in the energy sector). It also called for the Union to strengthen cooperation in the research and development sectors and in the industrial and cultural sectors. At the same time, it emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property. Finally, it regretted that negotiations on transport by inland waterways would not start until after this agreement had entered into force.�