On June 28, 2021, the Council of the European Union agreed to sign a Common Aviation Area Agreement with Ukraine, as well as with three other countries: Armenia, Tunisia and Qatar, Ukrainian Government Portal reports.
As of now, the Agreement for Ukraine can be applied on a temporary basis, pending the completion of all necessary procedures for its entry into force.
"The country has been waiting for this decision since 2013 - and finally all the circumstances are in our favor. Let me remind you that the signing of the Agreement is one of the program promises of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky - so far we have approached as close as possible this goal."
It is a question of full-fledged entry of Ukraine into the single airspace of the EU, with the obligatory implementation of the European standards and rules in the field of air transportation.
"Removing market restrictions is an increase in social, economic, and tourism cooperation between the EU and Ukraine," said Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
The process of creating a common EU aviation area began in 1999. On 12 December 2006, the Council of the EU authorized the Commission to open negotiations with Ukraine. In October 2013, the text of the CAAA was agreed upon by the parties, but due to foreign policy conditions, the signing was postponed for an indefinite period.