On 11 July, the European Council adopted a decision to conclude the Association Agreement with Ukraine on behalf of the European Union. This takes place on the eve of the EU-Ukraine summit to be held in Kyiv, on 12-13 July.
This is the final step of the ratification process through which the EU and Ukraine commit to a close, long-term relationship in all the main policy areas. It will allow the full implementation of the agreement as of 1 September 2017, the EU said in a press release.
Most of the Association Agreement is already operational. Many political and sectoral parts of the agreement have been provisionally applied since 1 September 2014, while its trade part – the deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA) – has been provisionally applied since 1 January 2016.
