The part of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement involving establishment of a deep and comprehensive  zone of free trade "should start working as soon as possible," First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovsky told the annual conference of the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Kyiv Wednesday.

"Actually, we all understand the barriers and problems that face the signing (of the Association Agreement - Ed.). Anyway, I think that the part on DCFTA should start working, and as soon as possible. This is advantageous both to the Ukrainian and European sides," he said.

At the same time, as regards the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in general, the First Deputy Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine has all chances to have it signed within the next year.

"I do not just see it as an objective; I think that we stand a good chance for signing the Association Agreement in the coming year (and we've heard these signals, including after the meeting of the German Chancellor with Mr. Tusk). It has not been specifically determined, but most likely it will be the second half of 2013, but we have this chance," Khoroshkovsky said.


 

Ukrinform