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EU, Ukraine set November deadline for Association Agreement
The European Union (EU) and Ukraine agreed to sign the Association Agreement by November 2013, said a joint statement issued by the two sides on Monday.
"The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the signing of the already initialed Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, as soon as determined action and tangible progress are demonstrated in the three areas emphasized at the 2011 EU-Ukraine Summit, possibly by the time of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius in November 2013," said the statement following the 16th EU-Ukraine Summit.
According to the statement, the EU also set the deadline for Ukraine to complete its reforms by early May this year, especially in the area of election legislation.
The EU urged Ukraine to take early steps to establish a reliable electoral legislation by giving consideration to an Election Code and clear rules for balanced media access for electoral competitors.
The leaders of both sides stressed that the rule of law with an independent judiciary is a critical element underpinning the Association Agreement, and they emphasized the importance of their effective implementation and the need for a comprehensive reform of the judiciary in line with European standards.
The EU and Ukraine initialed a political association agreement on March 30 last year, in a landmark move towards the country's integration into the 27-member bloc. The deal would allow Ukraine access to the union's free trade area which also includes non-EU nations such as Norway and Switzerland.
相关新闻：欧盟与乌克兰25日在布鲁塞尔就将于2013年11月签署联系国协定问题达成协议。
当天第16次欧盟与乌克兰峰会在布鲁塞尔举行。会后双方发表的联合声明称，双方将采取切实行动力促欧盟-乌克兰联系国协定于2013年11月欧盟与东部伙伴关系国(乌克兰、白俄罗斯、摩尔多瓦、格鲁吉亚、亚美尼亚和阿塞拜疆)峰会上签署。欧盟-乌克兰联系国协定的核心是双方签署“深度广泛的自由贸易区”协定。根据这项协定，欧盟将允许乌克兰加入以欧盟为主体，包括挪威等非欧盟成员国在内的自由贸易区。
近年来，乌克兰致力于通过缔结欧盟-乌克兰联系国协定深化与欧盟关系。去年3月30日双方草签了这一协定。双方此次为这一协定的正式签署划定期限，被视为乌克兰外交上的一次胜利。但欧盟为此也向乌克兰开出了条件——乌克兰须在今年5月初完成选举、司法和宪法等相关改革，尤其是在选举立法方面迈出重大步伐。
联合声明还指出，双方领导人强调乌克兰为实现司法独立所作改革是正式签署联系国协定的关键要素，明确提出乌克兰需要按照欧盟标准进行全面司法改革。
欧盟与乌克兰联系国协定正式签署后，将取代双方于1994年签署的合作伙伴关系协议，成为规范双边关系的基础性文件。 |
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发表于 2016-7-11 09:56:55