Agreement on ‘industrial visa-free travel’ with EU not to be signed in 2022 – Stefanishyna

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna says that an agreement on "industrial visa-free travel" with the European Union will not be signed in 2022.

"No, it will not. I propose to return to this issue closer to the summer of 2022, then I will be able to name specific dates," Stefanishyna told Interfax-Ukraine, answering a question whether Ukraine will sign an agreement on "industrial visa-free travel" for regular Ukraine-EU summit in 2022.

According to her, in the summer of 2022, the work of missions assessing Ukraine's readiness to conclude an agreement will be completed, and after their completion, the government will be able to initiate official negotiations.

"But before this assessment is completed and recommendations are presented, we will not be able to initiate the process of formal negotiations. KPI that I would establish for 2022 is the beginning of formal negotiations. They can be very fast if we can build a political consensus in the European Commission on this agreement," the deputy prime minister said.

To a clarifying question, whether she admits the possibility of concluding an agreement in 2022, Stefanishyna answered negatively.

The Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of industrial products (ACAA Agreement) is a recognition of the equivalence of the European technical regulation and conformity assessment system. The signing of the ACAA, or the so-called "industrial visa-free travel," would allow manufacturers of industrial products to obtain the necessary certificates in Ukraine instead of contacting an official representative, a resident of the European Union, who has the right to obtain such a document. The possibility of signing such an agreement is provided for in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

Initially, "industrial visa-free travel" will be concluded for three sectors of industrial products: low-voltage electrical equipment, electromagnetic compatibility of equipment, machinery. After successful EU recognition of the first of these sectors, this practice can be extended to other industries.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua