Ukraine Annual Target Plan for 2008

Document Outline:

Section I: Political and Economic Issues

1. Foreign and Security Policy
   1. Participation and Support of NATO-led Operations and Missions
   2. Fighting Terrorism
   3. Arms Control and Nuclear Non-Proliferation – Military-Technical Cooperation
2. Contribution to International and Euro-Atlantic Security
   1. Participation of Ukraine in International Organizations and Regional Initiatives
      1. United Nations Organization
      2. The Council of Europe
      3. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
      4. The EU
      5. Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM
      6. Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization
      7. Enhancement of Security in Black Sea Region
      8. Southeastern Europe Defense Ministerial Process (SEDM)
      9. The Vyshegrad Group
3. Regional Stability
   1. Frozen Conflicts
   2. Relations with Neighboring States
4. Internal Policy Goals
   1. Providing Supremacy of Law and Human Rights
   2. Administrative Reform
   3. Strengthening the Authorities and Independence of the Judiciary
   4. Reform of the State Tax Service of Ukraine
   5. Reform of the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine
   6. Reform of the Criminal Justice Bodies
   7. Participation in the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunication Administrations
   8. Countering Corruption, Organized Crime, Money Laundering, and Financing Terrorism
   9. Ensure Effective Functioning of the National System of Coordinating NATO-Ukraine Cooperation
5. Economic Issues
   1. Economic Priorities and Ensuring Economic Security of Ukraine
   2. Ukraine and the WTO
   3. Tax Reform, Improvement of Public Finances Management and Administration Duties
   4. Introducing Structure and Institutional Reforms with Assistance of International Finance Institutions
   5. Priorities of Scientific-Technical Development and Innovation Development
6. Information Policy
   1. Informing the Public on Ukraine’s Course of Euro-Atlantic Integration

Section II: Security, Defense and Military Issues

Section III: Resources Issues

Section IV: Information Security

Section V: Legal Issues

Specific NATO Goals and Recommendations in PDT Relevant Areas:

Political Issues

Participation of Ukraine in International Organizations and Regional Initiatives

• The UN
  • Continue to broaden Ukrainian involvement in peace-keeping missions and operations
  • Implement measures of the UN Development Program and the UN Environmental Program
• Council of Europe
  • Ensure fulfillment of commitments by implementing the CoE Action Plan for Ukraine for 2008-2011
  • Ensure participation of Ukrainian representatives in bodies of CoE (Pompidou Group, GRECO) that deal with countering money laundering, corruption, organized crime, terrorism, and drug trafficking
• OSCE
  • Participate in the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw as well as seminars/conferences on tolerance, human trafficking, and terrorism
  • Participate in negotiations within the OSCE Forum on Security Cooperation and Joint Consultative Group, formed under the Open Skies Treaty
  • Participate in activities that strengthen regional environmental security through implementation of the first cycle of the environment and security initiative backed up by NATO and OSCE member states
• The EU
  • Continue negotiations on a new enhanced treaty between Ukraine and EU
  • Take measures on conducting negotiations on creation of a free trade zone between Ukraine and EU
  • Take measures on deepening sector cooperation with the EU
• Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova)
  • Continue to strengthen GUAM’s interactions with leading international institutions and regional structures in areas of mutual interest
  • Implement the Project of Trade and Transport Facilitation of the GUAM-USA Framework Programs on Trade and Transport in order to secure border and customs control and fight terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking
  • Continue work on creation of a free trade zone among member states of GUAM
• Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization
  • Ensure implementation of measure provided by the “BSEC Program of Measures during the Period of Ukraine’s Presidency”
• Enhancement of Security in the Black Sea Region
  • Hold an international conference on the security and international regional relations of the Black Sea region, in the context of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration process, with participation of leading scientists and experts from NATO member states and the Black Sea states. Prepare summarized recommendations and issue scientific and information articles
• South Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial Process (SEDM)
  • Consider the issue of Ukrainian participation in the activity of the South-Eastern Europe Brigade
• The Vyshegrad Group
  • Continue military and political consultations on security sector reform and on the development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
  • Conduct training of a special group of the military police of the Ukrainian Armed Forces designated to participate in the NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion, formed by Vyshegrad member states
  • Assist to ensure appropriate activity of the Ukrainian-Polish consortium on the utilization of missile fuel mélange components in Ukraine

Regional Stability

• Frozen Conflicts
  • Hold consultations with NATO on implementing measures on supporting peace and stability, in particular in the Southern Caucasus and Moldova, taking into account NATO’s stance with regard to the resolution of these conflicts
  • Promote settlement of frozen conflicts in Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Azerbaijan in Nahorny Karabakh
  • Increase effectiveness of border and customs control on the Transdniestrian segment of the Ukraine-Moldova border by ensuring implementation of the “Memorandum on the Understanding between Ukraine, Moldova, and the European Commission on the EU Border Assistance Mission”
• Relations with Neighboring States
  • Continue work on regulation of the legal regime of State Borders of Ukraine with neighboring states
  • Intensify trans-border cooperation with neighboring states that are members of both NATO and the EU. Arrange and conduct Days of Good-Neighborly Relations with trans-border regions of NATO and EU members
  • Hold consultations with NATO on relations of Ukraine with member states of the CIS
  • Continue cooperation with relevant authorities and regional services of the Ministries of Emergencies of nearby NATO states in the framework of border cooperation and of managing the consequences of man-made and natural emergencies

Providing Supremacy of Law and Human Rights

• Prepare proposals on the signature by Ukraine of the International Convention on Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance, approved by the UN General Assembly
• Establish a free-of-charge legal aid system in order to guarantee the rights to legal representation for indigenous groups of the population. Elaborate on the draft law “On the Free-of-Charge Legal Aid”
• Ensure implementation of pilot projects on creating experimental centers for providing free-of-charge legal aid
• Conclude reform of the prosecution system by bring their functions in line with the principle of rule of law. Accomplish work on a new version of the draft law “On Prosecution”
• Facilitate practical implementation of the Canadian technical assistance projects in cooperation with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in the spheres of reforming the state service system, developing state and private partnership, civil society, democracy, local government, developing private enterprises and solving social and economic issues, and ensuring Ukrainian participation in world trade, including after joining the WTO
• Implement project on technical assistance “Facilitating secondary health care system reform” within the EU TACIS Program
• Conduct NATO- Ukraine consultations on constitutional reform

Administrative Reform

• Ensure follow-up of consideration of draft laws:
  • “On the Central Executive Bodies of Ukraine”
  • “On the State Service”
• Approve the quality of standards for providing administrative services by the executive bodies
• Conduct reviewing of payment amounts for providing administrative services by executive bodies

Strengthening the Authorities and Independence of the Judiciary

• Ensure follow-up of consideration of draft laws:
  • On Amending the Law of Ukraine
  • On the Judicial System of Ukraine
  • On the Status of Judges
  • On the Bar
• Facilitate, in cooperation with CIDA, technical assistance projects in the spheres of ensuring the supremacy of law, improving the judicial system and legal education, and countering corruption

Reform of the State Tax Service

• Continue implementing project “Modernizing the State Tax Service – 1”

Reform of the State Criminal Executive Service

• Ensure equal and adequate funding of events, provided by the State Program on Improving Conditions for Convicted and Detained Persons for the period 2006-2010
• Fulfill recommendation of the Pilot Project on Alternative Measures to Pre-Trial Detention

Reform of Criminal Justice Bodies

• Elaborate an action plan on the implementation of the Concept on Reform of Criminal Justice in Ukraine
• Provide permanent monitoring of the action plan on the implementation of the Concept on the Reform of Criminal Justice in Ukraine
• Establish an interagency commission on Reforming Criminal Justice Bodies advisory to the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine

Countering Corruption, Organized Crime, Money Laundering, or Financing Terrorism

• Continue work on bilateral agreements on cooperation in the sphere of fight money laundering and financing terrorism
• Ensure the functioning of the Single State Information System in the sphere of preventing and countering money laundering and financing terrorism, using transport Infrastructure of the National System of Confidential Communication
• Ensure follow-up of consideration on the draft laws:
  • On the Foundations of Preventing and Countering Corruption in Ukraine
  • On Amending Certain Legal Acts of Ukraine on Responsibility for Corrupt Violations
  • On Responsibility of Legal Entities for Committing Corruption
  • Code of honest conduct of the state and local authorities
• Continue participation in the actions of GRECO (Group of States Against Corruption)
• Draft and submit the Law of Ukraine “On the State Financial Control over Declaration of Incomings and their Spending by the Persons Authorized for Implementing State Functions, Their Families and Near Relatives”
• Hold public hearings on the topic “Fighting corruption and ensuring appropriate governing in the frameworks of realization of Euro-Atlantic integration policy by Ukraine”
• Hold NATO-Ukraine consultations to exchange experience in reacting to modern threats to international security, in particular terrorism financing, transnational crime, and money laundering
• Implement of the Action Plan for Realization of Concept on Preventing Corruption “Towards Honesty” by 2010
• Continue work on ensuring realization of the Cooperation Plan between the Council of Europe and Ukraine.
  • Launch Project of Technical Assistance on Fighting Money Laundering
• Conduct monitoring over financial operations for revelation of financing terrorism and WMD proliferation
• Renew the work of the Interagency Commission to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on the solving of issues in the sphere of countering corruption, aimed at examination of the most urgent questions concerning countering corruption during its meetings

Ensure Effective Functioning of the National System of Coordinating NATO-Ukraine Cooperation

• Continue to hold regular meetings of the Interagency Commission on Ukraine’s Preparation to NATO Membership and of the Interagency Working Groups on relevant issues of NATO-Ukraine cooperation
• Coordinate of the implementation of actions within the NATO-Ukraine Target Plan (ATP) for 2008 in the framework of the Commission’s meetings
• Participate in meetings of the NATO Political Committee and NATO Political-Military Steering Committee with Ukraine on the status of the implementation of the ATP for 2008.
  • Carry out an assessment of the status of its implementation
• Coordinate preparative meetings on drafting the NATO-Ukraine ATP for 2009

Economic Issues

Economic Priorities and Ensuring the Economic Security of Ukraine

• Implement the State Program of engineering industry development for 2006-2011
• Ensure the security of oil and gas transit pipelines in the territory of Ukraine through mounting of technical security facilities at their linear parts and permanent units
• Elaborate on the following draft laws:
  • On the Purchases of Goods, Works and Services by Means of Public Funds – on improving the system of forecast and program documents
  • On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine On State Forecasting and Elaboration of the Programs of Economic and Social Development
• Ensure following-up of consideration of the following draft laws:
  • On Licensing in the Economic Sphere
  • On the Record of Documents of the Licensing Kind in the Sphere of Economical Activity
• Implement the National Program on promoting development of small sized enterprises
• Ensure further cooperation between Ukraine and member states of the European Business Register with regards to the exchange of coordinated information on business enterprises in the EBR network and in the national register systems of EU member states
• Hold a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Economic Security on energy security
• Continue working on the implementation the following strategic projects in the energy sector:
  • Euro-Asian Oil Transportation Corridor (EAOTC)
  • Ukraine’s participation in implementation of gas pipeline construction project “Nabucco”
• Implement the Plan of activities regarding Ukraine’s further accession to the Energy Community Treaty
• Hold bilateral consultation with relevant supplier-states and transit states on settlement of stable supplies to Ukraine and transit of energy resources throughout its territory on the assumption of adherence to economically grounded balance in price between supplies and transit

Ukraine and the WTO

• Ensure Ukraine’s accession to the WTO
  • Cooperate with WTO committees on market access to goods and services; participate in multilateral talks on trade development perspectives
• Initiate participation in the negotiations in the framework of the Doha round after receiving membership
• Continue consultations and talks on establishment of a free-trade zone with the European free trade association, after accession to WTO

Tax Reform, Improvement of Public Finances Management, and Administration of Duties

• Harmonization of the system of tax collection for compulsory State social insurance remain one of Ukraine’s priority guidelines in the context of Euro-Atlantic integration
• Contribute to the adoption of the draft Tax Code of Ukraine and elaboration of other legal acts relevant to the improvement of tax and duties levy procedure and aimed at implementation of the Concept of Tax System Reform in Ukraine
• Ensure consideration of the draft law “On Collection and Account of Single Social Tax for Compulsory State Social Insurance”
• Ensure administration of tax collection, registration and control of single social tax payment, and conduct of the State register of social insurance fund of Ukraine

Introducing Structural and Institutional Reforms with Assistance of International Financial Institutions

• Organize and implement the System Project “Loan for the Developing Policy” with the assistance of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • The System Project aims to improve investment climate, remove obstacles for development of enterprises, strengthen the level of energy security and saving, develop the financial sector and corporate management, improve fiscal policy and state administration, and improve the mechanisms of provide social services to the population
• Hold yearly consultations on macroeconomic policy in compliance with Article IV of the IMF Agreement<!--[endif]-->

Information Policy:

Informing the Public on Ukraine’s Course of Euro-Atlantic Integration

Executive tasks:

• Implement the State Program of Public Information on Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine in the period 2008-2011, taking into account the experience of implementation of relevant program in 2004-2007
• Hold consultations with representatives of the MFAs of NATO new member states in order to learn from their experiences of spreading information about NATO
• Initiate implementation of goal-oriented information projects and strengthen cultural and information presence of Ukraine in neighboring states
  • Intensify contact with Ukrainian Diaspora
• Facilitate elaboration and implementation of regional programs on public awareness of Euro-Atlantic integration with active involvement of local public organizations
• Consider options for structuring public diplomacy activities such as establishment of a joint working group on public diplomacy, CPD with Ukraine meetings or yearly seminars

Legislative tasks:

• Prepare the project of the Law on Public TV and Radio Broadcasting
• Ratify the European Convention on Trans-Border Broadcasting and the Protocol to the Convention. Provide further implementing provisions of the documents
• Ensure elaboration and following-up consideration of the draft laws:
  • On Amending Certain Legal Acts of Ukraine (Protection of Public Morality)
  • On Protection of Professional Activity of Journalists
  • On Amending the Law of Ukraine on TV and Radio Broadcasting
  • On Amending the Law of Ukraine on Publishing

Active Dissemination of Information:

• Improve practice of regular coverage of Euro-Atlantic integration issues on websites of central and local government bodies
• Continue supporting information stands on NATO-Ukraine in libraries and information centers in the regions of Ukraine
• Continue the practice of regularly updating government bodies, educational institutions, mass media and public organizations on relevant topics of NATO-Ukraine cooperation
• Continue the practice of inviting visitors from various regions of Ukraine to NATO headquarters and to NATO member nations
• Encourage and support the participation of speakers from NATO nations and NATO IS in public events (conferences, seminars, round-tables) on Euro-Atlantic integration
• Facilitate the conduct of the student competition “Aliante-2008”
• Facilitate the broadcasting of short-length video films on NATO and NATO-Ukraine cooperation on the state and municipal TV channels
• Implement information events in the framework of the budget program “Implementation of the National Organizational, Information and Analytic, and Scientific and Methodological under the NATO-Ukraine Target Plan for 2008”
• Publish the following informational materials:
  • information bulletin on European and Euro-Atlantic integration: “Atlantic Panorama” magazine
  • information bulletin: “Ukraine on its way to NATO”
  • information and analytical magazine: “NATO-Ukraine”
  • scientific-information articles in the series: “Researches and Development in the Sphere of Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine”
  • analytical bulletin: “Euro-Atlantic Information”
• Prepare and distribute video materials on NATO activities and cooperation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the NATO member state armed forces
• Conduct press conferences, briefings of top officials of the Ministry of Defense and General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces
  • Facilitate the preparation by regional and central media of publications on participation of the Ukrainian military in NATO-led operations
• Encourage the use of the NATO-Ukraine Partnership Network for Civil Society Expertise Development
• Hold an annual “International NATO Week” in Ukraine
• Hold an international festival of military orchestras during the celebration of the European and Euro-Atlantic Partnership Day in Kyiv
• Elaborate and publish manuals:
  • “International Relations and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine”
  • “International NGO’s”
• Hold an information forum for regional and central mass media on information coverage of Euro-Atlantic integration
• Hold contests on:
  • Best publication on NATO and NATO-Ukraine cooperation
  • Best TV show on NATO and NATO-Ukraine cooperation
  • Best radio program on NATO and NATO-Ukraine cooperation
• Regularly monitor how NATO issues are covered in regional media
• Continue developing the network of information centers in public and private graduate and undergraduate institutions
  • Facilitate the opening of additional centers on Euro-Atlantic integration
  • Support activities of the information centers such as seminars, conferences, public briefings, etc.
• Include of special courses covering NATO-Ukraine cooperation in the Masters of the Arts programs for specialization International Relations/State Security
• Include special courses covering NATO-Ukraine in the first year curricula of higher education institutions
• Implement an optional course on international security, Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, and NATO-Ukraine cooperation in curricula of middle and senior classes of schools
• Implement measures of the information project “Euro-Atlantic Spring – 2008”
• Hold thematic events (exhibitions, information days, seminars, workshops, etc.) aimed at explaining Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration policy in the regions of Ukraine with participation of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local authorities, regional mass media, and heads of regional and local libraries
• Create a TV program (working name “Security Factor”) which will cover the issues on cooperation of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine with NATO, the EU, OSCE, and their member states on countering criminality and ensuring stability in the region
  • Ensure its broadcasting on one of the national TV channels
• Foresee during draft of state budget of Ukraine for next year the budget program for implementation of these activities under the NATO-Ukraine Target Plan