Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Ukraine and EU start transport dialogue, says Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine

Ukraine and the EU begin a transport dialogue, as Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, confirmed following a meeting with Mr. Henrik Hololei, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, on January 16, 2017.
"We had a hot discussion on further cooperation between Ukraine and the European Commission. I am very pleased that Mr. Henrik Hololei suggested starting a regular annual transport dialogue between the EU and Ukraine on issues that form the agenda, and that will result in the implementation of new infrastructure projects and developing the common transport strategy of the EU and Ukraine," Volodymyr Omelyan said after the meeting.

"We have agreed that I and Mr. Slawomir Nowak, the head of Ukravtodor, will visit Brussels in mid-February, where we will have an opportunity to thoroughly discuss the priority projects that will connect Ukraine and the EU. The key task is to reduce queues at the border and maximal aligning of the Ukrainian border infrastructure with the European one."
"I look forward to strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and Brussels. I think that with the support of the European Commission and the EU member states, we will be able to provide new quality to Ukrainian infrastructure and create Europe in Ukraine," Volodymyr Omelyan added.
In turn, Mr. Henrik Hololei, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, noted that it is necessary to establish a bilateral EU-Ukraine dialogue that would provide permanent contact between the Ministry and the EU as well as to foster cooperation to support reforms in infrastructure. "I believe that the agenda in the transport sector is very significant and important. Transport connects not only countries and businesses, but people as well. Proper cooperation in the transport sector means more opportunities, the increase of trade and also investments into a country.  We have a great challenge to modernize the Ukrainian transport networks. However, I am very pleased to see the plans of these works have been drafted already."
Mr. Henrik Hololei also stated that the European Commission is committed to prolong supporting Ukraine in the implementation of this plan. "We have already agreed to start a dialogue between the EU and Ukraine in order to strengthen and increase our cooperation in the transport industry."
At the end of the meeting, there was signed an Agreement between the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine and the European Commission on the convergence of certification systems. This document will serve as the basis for further consideration of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between Ukraine and the European Union (EU). Signing this agreement will result in recognition of certificates issued in Ukraine primarily for products of SE Antonov, and products of other enterprises in the aviation industry.
The Agreement was signed by Oleksandr Bilchuk, Chairman of the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine, and Henrik Hololei, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission.
"Today we have signed an important document - the Agreement between the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine and the EC on the convergence of certification systems.  This is an important instrument on the way to certification of Antonov aircrafts, both in the EU and worldwide," Volodymyr Omelyan said.


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