On February 13, 2015 at the premises of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine the regular meeting of the OECD-Ukraine Coordination Council was held. During the meeting the status of implementation of existing projects (programs) and areas of further cooperation with Ukraine were discussed.
The Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Ayvaras Abromavychus in his opening remarks welcomed the participants and highlighted the necessity of focusing on priority areas for further cooperation for the biennium, and the implementation of the OECD recommendations having been received within the framework of joint projects realization. The Ukrainian side and the OECD gave their comments on issues which are to be considered. They underlined the areas of further activity and tentative schedules of the OECD programs and projects implementation in Ukraine.
During the meeting of the Coordinating Council for Cooperation with OECD the following projects (programs) were touched upon: Sector Competitiveness Strategy for Ukraine, Phase III: Agribusiness & Energy; Setting-up the Conditions to Establish a Credit Guarantee Scheme for Agribusiness SMEs; SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries; the Second Investment Policy Review; Policy Framework for Investment in Agriculture; Environment & green growth; Anti-Corruption Initiative for Ukraine; Integrity in Education in Ukraine & Education Policy Review; Tax Crime Investigation.
Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD William Danvers said that the General Secretariat of the OECD had been working on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Ukraine and the OECD on Deeper Cooperation and on specific measures to support Ukraine in priority areas. In particular, the OECD prepared the Draft action plan on the Memorandum implementation. William Danvers informed that at the meeting with the EU Support Group for Ukraine priorities for cooperation with the Government of Ukraine under the Memorandum, especially towards implementation in the field of SME development had been identified.
It was also agreed that the next Coordinating Council Meeting for Cooperation with the OECD is to be held on June 10, 2015.
The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Ukraine Andreas von Beckerath, Head of EU Delegation to Ukraine Jan Tombinski, the OECD Director for Global Relations Marcos Bonturi, representatives of the OECD Eurasia Competitiveness Programme, central authorities and public society took part in the meeting.
The Head of the Projects Management Unit of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union Oksana Ishchuk attended the event.
For reference: Cooperation between Ukraine and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is one of the priorities of the Action Plan on strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the OECD for 2013-2016, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated on February 06,2013 № 132-r, the Action Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Strategy for Sustainable Development “Ukraine-2020”, approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated on January 1, 2015 № 5/2015, the Memorandum of understanding between the Government of Ukraine and the OECD on Deeper Cooperation signed on October 07, 2014, the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States. According to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated on September 13, 2002 № 1371 “On Procedure of the Participation of Central Executive Bodies in the Activities of International Organizations, in which one Ukraine is the Member State” the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service is responsible central executive body for the obligations, including financial, arising from Ukraine's membership in the OECD Committee. The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service has been representing Ukraine in this Committee with the status of permanent observer since 2008.
