On the occasion of his visit to Kiev, the Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, today met with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Oleh Rybachuk, and with the Minister for Fuel and Energy, Ivan Plachkov. This visit follows the recent adoption of the EU – Ukraine Neighbourhood Action plan and the recognition of energy as a priority area for strengthened EU-Ukraine cooperation, the talks aimed at providing the political guidance for achieving in the coming months progress on issues of common interest such as Ukrainian energy market liberalisation, energy efficiency, renewable energies, nuclear safety and cooperation on broader infrastructure projects. In addition the two parties signed an Agreement for Cooperation on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

The European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, will visit Kyiv, Ukraine, from 27-29 April 2005. With a view to discuss the EU-Ukraine energy cooperation, he will hold meetings with the Minister of Fuel and Energy, Ivan Plachkov; the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, O. Rybachuk; the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee for Energy and Nuclear Safety, Andryi Klyev; and other Ukrainian stakeholders in the Energy sector. During the visit it is planned to sign the Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for cooperation in the peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy.

The administrators of all ranks from the Saki rayon Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Myhailivka rayon Zaporizzhya region, town of Komsomolsk Poltava region and the officials from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Crimea intend to get to know a European expertise of the primary health care provision to public so that they could apply this knowledge in the local health care reform.

On April 21, 2005 at 10.30 a.m., a press briefing will be held at Kharkiv regional state administration within the framework of the project “Establishment of an Agricultural Standards Certification and Control Mechanism in Line with WTO-SPS Requirements”.

A conference on tuberculosis control with participation of international experts will take place in Kyiv on Wednesday 20 April, 2005. The conference marks the conclusion of the EU-funded project ’Tuberculosis prevention and control in Kyiv City, Ukraine’. This project was successfully implemented over a two and a half year period. In the framework of the project a new tuberculosis control strategy has been developed, trainings and research have onducted, an information campaign has been developed and implemented and laboratory equipment, laboratory supplies, computers and a minivan have been purchased. The total value of the project was ˆ 2,000,000.00 (two million Euro).

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy of the Ukraine and the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine initiated Project “Improvement of Logistic Services and Marketing Channels for SMEs in Agriculture” which was designed by the European Union’s Technical Assistance Programme to increase incomes to household producers and agro-food producers SMEs to improve the social and economic welfare of the rural population and to contribute to the privatization process in agriculture, promote the rationalisation of marketing channels and to help stabilise the interests of market participants.

A press-conference on the Delegation’s project “EU Information Days for secondary schools in rural areas” will take place on Wednesday, 15 April 2004, at 11:30 in the premises of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine (vul. Kruglounversitetska, 10).

The European Commission has launched a new call for projects under its Jean Monnet Action. It will award grants to help academic institutions implement European integration projects by setting up teaching activities and providing support for young researchers and research. Grants can be provided to projects at university level throughout the world, including in Ukraine.

On 30-31 March 2005, representatives of the Government of Ukraine and the European Commission held consultations in Kiev on the steel agreement between Ukraine and the European Community for the years 2005-2006. Both sides reached full agreement on the text, including on the quantitative limits. The text of the agreement will now be examined by their respective authorities and after approval be signed and enter into force.

Following the endorsement of the EU-Ukraine Action Plan on 21 February 2005 the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine on 26 April 2005 will hold a one-day seminar for journalists from regional Ukrainian mass media to explain the objectives of this plan. The seminar will focus on the priorities of the Action Plan, its implementation and monitoring. Further, during the seminar participants will also receive information about the general functions of the Delegation, EU assistance programmes and EU informational activities in Ukraine. The Head of the Delegation, Ambassador Ian Boag will open the seminar and be available for a Q&A session.