Govt to create EU accession negotiation groups with public, business
The Ukrainian government intends to create negotiation groups involving businesses and the public to gather ideas and proposals regarding the negotiations for joining the European Union, announced Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna.
"These will be Ukrainian negotiation groups that will discuss commitments, formulate positions, collect ideas, and essentially prepare negotiators for the negotiations. This decision already envisages the participation of civil society and businesses," she said during a discussion organized by the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) in Kyiv.
"But I immediately warn that this will not be an open discussion club. It will be a fairly strict, dynamic process: those who are ready to join, those who are ready to work, to provide suggestions, will participate in the process," added the Deputy Prime Minister.
She said that currently, businesses are not taking advantage of the opportunity to join the government's explanatory meetings with the European Commission regarding the conduct of an official screening, where the European Commission explains Ukraine's future obligations within the internal market.
"This is an open process. I constantly post information on official state resources that it is possible to join this process. Businesses are not rushing," Stefanishyna said.
According to her, the Cabinet's decision to create negotiation groups will follow the president's decree on the formation of a Ukrainian delegation to participate in negotiations with the EU on the accession agreement.