The EU–Ukraine Association Agreement as a General Framework of Contemporary EU–Ukraine Relations

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter looks at the objectives, scope, implementation, and application of the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement (AA), which triggered unprecedented political, economic, and legal reforms in Ukraine. In particular, the chapter focuses on the constitutional challenges that have arisen while the AA is being embedded within Ukraine’s legal system. There are two issues which the chapter considers. The first is the effective implementation and application of the AA within the Ukrainian legal order in line with the “common values” and “market access” conditionality tools provided by the EU. The second issue is the compatibility of the AA with the Constitution of Ukraine. The latest political and legal developments in Ukraine are analysed through the prism of effective implementation of the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and promotion of EU common values. In conclusion the EU–Ukraine AA is evaluated against the background of Ukraine’s application for EU membership on 28 February 2022. It is argued that the EU–Ukraine AA still remains the main contractual tool to lead Ukraine through the turbulent path of EU accession and considerably contributes to the adaptability of the national constitutional order to the future EU membership and EU common values.