REPORT
Seminar of the Youth of the European People’s Party
“Wider Europe – neighbourhood policy:
New “Iron Curtain” or New Chances for Border Countries”
Kyiv (Ukraine), 23th – 26th October 2003
From Thursday, 23.10.2003 till Sunday, 26.10.2003 the seminar of the Youth
of the European People’s Party “Wider Europe – neighbourhood policy:
New “Iron Curtain” or New Chances for Border Countries” took place in Kyiv
hosted by YEPP’s member organisations Christian Democratic Youth of
Ukraine and Young Rukh of Ukraine.
On Thursday, the 23rd of October the participants of the seminar has arrived.
In the evening the opening ceremony of seminar started. Famous politicians
and young leaders greeted participants with the beginning of the seminar.
Among them were: Oleksandr YAREMA, CDMU Chairman and Co-Head of
the Coalition of Youth “Our Ukraine”; Tymur NAGALEVSKYY, Young Rukh
Chairman; Daniel BAUTISTA, YEPP President; Borys TARASYUK MP, Head
of Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, Director of the Institute
for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation; Vyacheslav KYRYLENKO MP, Co-Head of the
Coalition of Youth “Our Ukraine”; Ralf WACHSMUTH, Head of the KonradAdenauer-Stiftung Representation in Kiev; Galina FOMENCHENKO, CDMU
International Secretary
On Friday, the 24th of October, the program started with a lecture on “New EU
borders: new challenges and new prospects” with 3 speakers: Victor
YUSHCHENKO, Head of Political Block “Our Ukraine”, former Prime-Minister
of Ukraine, Anton BUTEYKO Former Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic
of Romania, Hans-Jochen SCHMIDT, Deputy Ambassador Germany. “Our
Ukraine’s” leader Victor YUSHCHENKO noted in his speech that Ukraine’s
foreign policy is not consistent. According to Yushchenko, the direction of the
external policy depends on where Ukrainian administration is at the moment:
the West thinks that we are heading towards European integration while the
East is convinced that the Common Economic Zone and the like structures
are our aim. “Our Ukraine’s” leader pointed out that Ukraine needs not just the
change of administration but a broad-based, coherent, political reform, which
will be implemented by those forces, that have people’s trust. “
After a coffee break Oleksandr CHALY, First Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs for European integration and Ihor GRYNIV, MP, Chairman of
Subcommittee on External Economic Affairs of Committee for Foreign Affairs,
opened discussion on “Ukrainian expectations from EU enlargement. Next
steps towards Europe”. Igor GRYNIV expressed the following idea: “The
first step on Ukraine’s way to the EU is adoption of a joint plan of actions
between Ukraine and the EU for the next few years.” According to him, “this
will allow Ukraine to influence Europe’s future after the EU’s expansion.” The
next step, in Igor GRYNIV’s opinion is “signing a treaty about associated
membership with further coordination, negotiation, and implementation of
Government program of adapting Ukrainian legislation to the EU norms.” The
people’s deputy expressed a regret that the latest “Ukraine-EU” summit,
which took place at the beginning of October in Yalta, has not lead to
significant improvements: “The only document developed till now, which will
govern our relationships for the undetermined future, is “Wider Europe –
neighbourhood.”
A press conference of the leaders of YEPP, CDMU and Young Rukh was held
during lunchtime. Commenting on the event, Olexander Yarema, the head of
the youth division of “Reform and Order” Party – Christian-Democratic Youth
of Ukraine, said: “Young politicians came to Kyiv in order to share their ideas
about Europe’s future and also about the role Ukraine would play in it. This
seminar proves that our European partners are not indifferent to Ukraine’s
future,” stated he. Daniel Bautista, YEPP President, pointed out that the issue
raised at the seminar would gain particular significance for Ukraine in the
nearest future when ten Central-European countries become new members of
the European Union. He also expressed support for Victor Yushchenko’s “Our
Ukraine” coalition, which continuously promotes Ukraine’s integration into EU.
Markus Pösentrup noted that the EU would become more inert after ten new
members join in the near future. “However, there should be no concern that,
having swallowed such a large piece, EU will lose its appetite for Ukraine.
Your country is also an appetizing slice for Europe”. Tymur Nagalevski, the
head of the “Young Rukh” noted that the topic of the seminar became
particularly significant in light of Ukraine’s recent signing of the Common
Economic Zone treaty and of the events in the strait of Kerch. “We are trying
to convince our European colleagues that Ukraine is genuinely interested in
European integration,” stated YR leader
After lunch the third topic of the seminar “Role and place of Ukraine in a
new architecture of Europe” was opened by Oleksandr SUSHKO, Director
of the Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine. He
stressed that Ukrainian diplomacy has to put maximum efforts in order to
ensure recognition of Ukrainian economy as a market one by the European
Union: “Such status will significantly improve the ease of trade and will
promote refocusing our economy towards European markets.”
After coffee break YEPP permanent working groups have started their work.
The participants of seminar according to their interests divided into 4 groups:
 on Foreign Security and Defence Policy
 on Economic and Social Policy
 on Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe and Enlargement –
YEPP PWG CSEE + Enlargement
 on Sustainable Development
In the evening Yuriy KOSTENKO, MP, Leader of the Ukrainian People’s Party
hosted dinner for participants at the “Obolon” restaurant.
The session on Saturday started with the topic “Special neighborhood
policy as the first step but not as the final objective” with guests: Thierry
MARIANI, Member of French Parliament, Head of Friendship Parliamentary
Group “France-Ukraine” and Kristian KREMER, EPP Deputy Secretary
General. Discussion was based on the document “Wider Europe –
neighbourhood policy”, which was proposed by the European Commission.
Kristian Kremer described the position of European People’s Party towards
this document.
After this session the participants were divided into three working groups:
 Political dialogue in the context of EU enlargement between the EU
and new border countries (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova)
 Social consequences of EU enlargement for border countries (Ukraine,
Belarus, Moldova)
 Economical dimensions of EU enlargement for border countries
(Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova)
Experts from different Ukrainian think tanks moderated these working groups.
The final objective for working groups was to prepare draft documents for
plenary session.
After lunch the plenary session started. During this session working papers,
two resolutions, YEPP amendment for a Youth Chapter to EPP Action
Program 2004-2009 and some other documents were discussed and adopted.
In the evening the participants were invited to the Traditional Ukrainian
evening with Ukrainian cousin, national songs and dances.
Sunday was foreseen for departure of the participants. On Sunday morning a
Kyiv city tour was proposed.
October 2003