The Committee International Trade adopted the report on drawn up by Vital MOREIRA (S&D, PT) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council providing macro-financial assistance to Ukraine.
It recommended that the European Parliament’s position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure) should be to amend the Commission proposal as follows:
Conditions of assistance: the committee stressed that the Commission will manage the assistance not only in a manner consistent with the agreements reached between the IMF and Ukraine but also with the key principles and objectives of economic reform set out in the EU-Ukraine Association Agenda. The Commission shall regularly inform the European Parliament of the proceedings of the Economic and Financial Committee, and provide it with the relevant documents. There must be a timeframe for the fulfilment of the conditions in the Memorandum of Understanding. Those conditions shall include specific objectives with a view to strengthening the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the assistance, including in particular public finance management systems in Ukraine. Real progress in attaining those objectives shall provide the basis for disbursing the instalments of the assistance.
Ex post evaluation: Members add that no later than two years after the expiry of the availability period (2 years after entry into force of the Memorandum of Understanding) the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council an ex post evaluation report.
The committee added in the recitals that Union macro-financial assistance should not merely supplement programmes and resources from the IMF and the World Bank but should ensure the added value of EU involvement. The Commission should ensure that Union macro-financial assistance is legally and substantially in line with the measures taken within the different areas of external action and other relevant Union policies.