European Parliament will host a Ukraine week

February 24, 2016.

    Next week, the European Parliament will welcome Ukrainian MPs for a joint three days high-level conference (29 February – 2 March) on capacity-building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. “Ukraine week” will allow for MEPs, national MPs and representatives from other EU institutions and international organisations to share their experience with more than 40 Ukrainian parliamentarians, including the leadership of Ukrainian parliament, on good parliamentary practices, law-making and representation.
    Last July EP President Martin Schulz and Volodymyr Groysman, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian parliament's constitutional role of law-making, oversight and representation.
    In line with the Memorandum former EP President Pat Cox prepared a report and a roadmap on capacity-building. It will be presented during Ukraine week and will form the basis of a first round of high-level discussions in identified areas.
    Ahead of the event on Monday (29 February) at 3 pm. P. Cox will give an advanced briefing on the main conclusions of his report to media and public (room PHS 3C050).
    The opening of the conference co-chaired by Elmar Brok, Chair of EP Foreign Affairs Committee, and Andrej Plenkovic, Chair of the EP delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, will take place on Monday (29 February) at 16:30. M.Schulz, V.Groysman, P.Cox and Commissioner Johannes Hahn (European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations) will give the keynote speeches.
    It will be followed by a joint M.Schulz and V.Groysman press point and later by a press conference of the Heads of political factions of the Verkhovna Rada and A. Plenkovic.
    Tuesday (1 March) will be dedicated to a high level debates, where six panels will address such topics as the relations between the legislative and the executive, the representation role of a Parliament or the role of its secretariat.
    “Ukraine week” will end on Wednesday (2 March) by the signature of an "Administrative cooperation agreement" between the European and Ukrainian Parliament's Secretariats.
    “Ukrainian week” will be webstreamed through EP Live.