Ir-relazzjoni bejn l-Unjoni Ewropea u l-Ukrajna għandha tkun ibbażata fuq reċiproċità ekonomika proporzjonata

L-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant ivvota favur rapport Ewropew dwar proposta għal Regolament tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill dwar tnaqqis fir-restrizzjonijiet għal qasir żmien tal-kummerċ li tipprovdi l-konċessjonijiet kummerċjali applikabbli għall-prodotti Ukrajni.

Huwa enfasizza kemm huwa vitali li tiġi żgurata l-kontinwità tal-kapaċità kummerċjali tal-Ukrajna u li tkompli ssostni lill-pajjiż tal-Ewropa tal-Lvant. Madanakollu, għandu jiġi ċċarat li dan l-approċċ bl-ebda mod m’għandu jitqies bħala mod kif l-Ukrajna tista’ tidħol fl-Unjoni Ewropea b’mod mgħaġġel u faċilment. Għandha taħt ix-xenarji kollha ssegwi l-istess triq bħall-proċessi l-oħra kollha tad-dħul fl-Unjoni, saħaq Sant.

L-Ukrajna talbet lill-Unjoni Ewropea biex tiffaċilita l-kundizzjonijiet li bihom il-pajjiż ikun jista’ jżomm il-pożizzjoni kummerċjali tiegħu mal-bqija tad-dinja u jkompli jsaħħaħ ir-relazzjonijiet kummerċjali tiegħu mal-Unjoni. Ir-Regolament propost jintroduċi miżuri li jilliberalizzaw il-kummerċ b’sospensjoni temporanja tat-tariffi pendenti kollha taħt it-Titolu IV tal-Ftehim ta’ Assoċjazzjoni bejn l-Unjoni u l-Ukrajna, nuqqas temporanju ta’ ġbir ta’ dazji “anti-dumping” fuq importazzjonijiet li joriġinaw fl-Ukrajna u sospensjoni temporanja tal-applikazzjoni tar-regoli komuni għall-importazzjonijiet.

Il-MPE Laburista nnota li sabiex tgħin lill-Ukrajna kontra l-isfidi li qed jiffaċċjaw il-produtturi u l-esportaturi minħabba l-gwerra li għaddejja, il-miżuri l-ġodda jinkludu mekkaniżmu ta’ salvagwardja avvanzat li jiġi attivat f’każ ta’ bżonn. Huwa saħaq li l-Parlament Ewropew għandu jkompli joffri appoġġ ekonomiku u politiku lill-Ukrajna permezz ta’ ftehim li jifrex it-triq għal relazzjoni bbażata fuq reċiproċità ekonomika proporzjonata. Alfred Sant irrikonoxxa li l-ftehim ta’ assoċjazzjoni bejn iż-żewġ naħat jipprovdi l-qafas korrett għal tali kooperazzjoni. “Il-miżuri li qed jiġu proposti se jgħinu biex jinżammu u jittejbu l-iskambji kummerċjali attwali bejn l-Ukrajna u l-Unjoni Ewropea, l-akbar sieħeb kummerċjali tal-Ukrajna”, huwa innota.

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The EU-Ukraine relationship should be based on a proportionate economic reciprocity

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant voted in favour of a European report on a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a temporary trade liberalisation supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products. 

He emphasized it is imperative to ensure the continuity of Ukraine’s trade capacity and to keep sustaining the Eastern European country. However, it should be made clear that in no way should this approach be considered as a privileged fast track towards Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. It should under all scenarios follow the same path as for all other accession processes, Sant stressed.

Ukraine has asked the European Union to facilitate the conditions to enable the country to maintain its trade position with the rest of the world and further deepen its trade relations with the Union. The Regulation proposed introduces trade-liberalising measures namely a Temporary suspension of all outstanding tariffs under Title IV of the Association Agreement between the Union and Ukraine, a Temporary non-collection of anti-dumping duties on imports originating in Ukraine and a Temporary suspension of the application of the common rules for imports.

The Labour MEP noted that in order to assist Ukraine against the challenges that producers and exporters are facing because of the ongoing war, the new measures include an advanced safeguard mechanism to be activated in case of need. He emphasized that the European Parliament should continue to back all European economic and political support for the Ukraine through an agreement that lays the ground for a relationship based on a proportionate economic reciprocity. Alfred Sant acknowledged that the association agreement between the two sides provides the correct framework for such cooperation. “The measures being envisaged will help to maintain and enhance the current trade flows between Ukraine and the European Union, which is Ukraine’s largest trading partner”, he noted.