Ukrainian experts discussed the possibilities and advantages of Europeanization, international experts provided the examples of its work in their countries

What does Europeanization mean and why is it good for Ukraine? These questions were discussed during the Expert Toloka "Arguments for Europeanization: Information for Ukrainian", dedicated to the EU-Ukraine summit. Experts brought forward the qualitative arguments on the fruits of Europeanization and introduced the survey results of its impact on different social spheres. They were also trying to explain diplomatic terms of "Copenhagen criteria" in words of one syllable, making them understandable for mainstream people.

"Greater well-being for Ukrainians,duty-free access to the world’s largest single market, greater access to third country markets and a better internal investment climate," these are the benefits of a free trade area (FTA) between the EU and Ukraineas explained by Veronika Movchan, Academic director of the Institute for Economic Research and Political Consultations.

A visa-free regime with the European Union is one step on the way to European integration whose sense and advantages can be felt by every single citizen. "If Ukrainians are able to travel freely and get a sight of living in other countries, they will give a full list of criteria to the Government of Ukraine, demanding honesty, transparency and openness of the management system. As of today, 85% of Ukrainian have never been in non-post-soviet Europe,which means they effectively have never seen how the principles of rule of law, a proper democracy or the defense of human rights work in practice," Iryna Sushko, Coordinator of Europe Without Barriers Consortium informs.

“When Ukraine joined the Agreement to found the Energy Community on Feb. 1, 2011 as a full-fledged member, it meant the beginning of energy integration with the European Union. This means that, in time, as the provisions of EU legislation are implemented in domestic legislation and the regulatory base, the power sector and the economy as a whole will develop a competitive environment where the consumer will enjoy the right to select a supplier, and the supplier to choose which group of consumers to provide to",Mykhailo Honchar, Director of Energy Programs, NOMOS Center, says.

EU environmental policy and legislation is a model of effectiveness for Ukraine. The 31 ecological Directives to which Ukraine is supposed to adapt under the Association Agreement, will bring the country closer to EU standards while instituting these provisions will really improve Ukraine’s environment. Environmental well-being will bring with it other benefits, including improved human health, reduced mortality, economic advantages and new opportunities.

It is important that Ukraine should sign an Open Skies Agreement (OSA) and passengers stand to gain the most from it. Such an agreement will ensure European safety standards during flights, a high level of passenger services, more flights and more routes, and a wider range of ticket prices for air travel.

"EU membership markedly affects the country’s internal policy development. Thus, the government of Slovakia submitted resignation in October, because the Parliament refused to approve the expansion plan of the European Foundation for Financial Stability. It was not a case before," the Slovak expertMesezhnikov Hryhory, president of the Institute of Public Affairs, believes.

"All the efforts Poland has made towards European integration went hand-in-hand with the political will of its leadership. At first society expressed alarms about the changes, rising costs of products and services. After a while all those fears were cleared up. In 2004 the EU donated Poland 50 billion euros. At the same time Poland had to pay 20 billion euros for EU membership and eventually recovered expenditures for the committed reforms by getting 30 billion dollars," Elzhbeta Kasa, Expert of the Institute of Public Affairs (Poland), said.

During the event there was also presented a nationwide poll on Ukraine's public opinion towards EU membership, conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation and Ukrainian Sociology Service. According to the poll “a stable public support was formed towards the country's accession to the European Union." "The EU is definitely the choice of young people," Irina Bekeshkina, director of Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, is convinced. "Young people from Donbass and the Crimea, where the idea of Ukraine’s EU membership is disapproved generally, do not differ from their peers from other regions of Ukraine: within the 18-29 years age group 51% of young people are for EU membership, and 22% - against,” this is emphasized in the survey.

The passport of Association Agreement (AA) was also presented at the Expert Toloka as brief information about the meaning of  (AA) for Ukraine, the procedure of its conclusion as well as what one should and should not expect from this document.

Right now, the most important point for Ukraine is to understand that Europeanization is important, not for the EU, not for the country’s international image, and not even for the sake of membership. Europeanization is important for each and every Ukrainian.

The initiator of the event: Civic Expert Council within Ukrainian part of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Committee.

Media Partners: "Telekrytyka", Business Radio, "Association of European Journalists."

The activities of Civic Expert Council are realized  within two projects: "Ukraine's EU integration policy platform”, implemented within a framework  of "National Initiatives to Enhance Reforms" (UNITER), which is carried out by Pact in Ukraine with the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and «Creation of Ukraine's EU integration policy platform within Civic expert council activity», supported by the International Renaissance Foundation.

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