Ukraine, European Defense Agency start drawing up framework cooperation agreement

Ukraine has started negotiations on drawing up a framework agreement on cooperation with the European Defense Agency.

The Ukroboronprom state corporation's press service reported on Monday that negotiations on drawing up an administrative agreement between Ukraine and EDA had started in Brussels on June 11. The Ukrainian delegation at the talks is led by Deputy Defense Minister Ihor Pavlovsky and the EU by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.

"The framework document being drafted will determine the main principles, areas, and mechanisms of further interaction between Ukraine and the EU in improving defense capabilities and military-technological cooperation," it said.

The signature of the agreement is expected to ensure a legal basis for practical cooperation between Ukrainian defense industry enterprises and EDA member-states and for Ukraine's engagement in EDA programs, Ukroboronprom said.

Plans for the development of technological cooperation between Ukraine and the EDA are provided for by the Ukraine-EU association agreement.

The EDA was set up in 2004 as an instrument to form the EU's unified defense industrial complex. The EDA is headquartered in Brussels, and 27 EU member-states (all except Denmark) are engaged in its work. Some of the EDA projects also involve non-EU members, like Norway. The EDA's general governance is the EU Council's prerogative.

The EDA's key functions include the development of the EU's military potential in crisis response situations, the promotion of European cooperation on the weapons market, the reinforcement of the European military-technological and industrial bases, the establishment of a European weapons and military hardware market, the improvement of the efficiency of military research and technological development, etc.

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