Media: The Netherlands wants to modify the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
According to the Austrian newspaper, Die Presse, citing Dutch diplomats, the Government of the Netherlands wants to modify certain provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The Dutch Government intended to take such a step after the referendum in April in which the Dutch voted against the ratification of the Association Agreement.
"The government in The Hague prefers quiet diplomacy behind the scenes. And now, when the Netherlands is holding the EU Presidency they have an opportunity to try and modify certain clauses of the EU-Ukraine Agreement," the article read.
In particular, they are proposing to delete the paragraph regarding military cooperation between Ukraine and the EU or at least introducing some mitigating clauses into it. The Hague reasoned that the defense of Europe and Ukraine is not the role of the EU; this is for NATO to do.
Moreover, the Netherlands needed assurances that Ukraine "will not be granted automatic access to the financial resources of the EU."
"And thirdly, the Association Agreement should not guarantee that Ukraine can be accepted as the 29th EU member," the diplomat said.
To change the text of the EU-Ukraine agreement, The Hague would need the consent of all EU members who have already ratified it in its present form.
"We are receiving positive signs from 27 member countries. Other EU member countries understand the problems we have after the referendum," the Dutch diplomat said.
At the same time, Poland and the Baltic states, whose agreement is necessary, oppose this change. In particular, they insist on retaining the paragraph on military cooperation between Ukraine and the EU.
The newspaper noted that it is unlikely that the Netherlands will reach an agreement before the 23rd of June when the referendum regarding Great Britain’s continued membership in the EU is held.
Moreover, to change the document, Ukraine’s agreement is also required.
Last week, President Petro Poroshenko stated that the Netherlands may soon propose a formula which will allow the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to be completed.
61% of Dutch voters voted against the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in a referendum held on the 6th of April. It was also noted that the Dutch Government will determine its position regarding the EU-Ukraine Agreement in late June.
The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, stated that it is the Dutch Government that should develop an alternative plan after the referendum, not the European Commission.