On March 12, 2013 the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has signed the Decree № 127/2013 on the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of March 12, 2013 "On urgent measures in the sphere of European integration of Ukraine".
The Decree is aimed at ensuring further development of strategic partnership between Ukraine and the European Union, its Member States, based on political association and economic integration, completion of the conclusion of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union in 2013 and its subsequent implementation, as well as the fulfillment of the agreements reached at the 16th "Ukraine - EU" Summit.
As the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule said in his speech delivered during the European Parliament Plenary session in Strasbourg on March 13, 2013, this Presidential Decree along with other documents show that there is determination in Kyiv to achieve the objectives.
The key goals of the Decree are the following:
- adoption of laws and issuing of other legal acts envisaged by the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation for Ukraine;
- amending legislation regarding the authority of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine;
- implementation of the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On the Bar and Legal Practice";
- establishing the proper conditions for the organization and holding of re-elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine in single mandate electoral constituencies;
- enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the energy sector and macro-financial assistance of the EU for Ukraine
- ratification of the Agreement between Ukraine and the EU amending the Agreement between the EC and Ukraine on the facilitation of the issuance of visas;
- improvement of Ukraine's electoral legislation.