Ukraine to participate in EU Single Market Programme
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Thursday that Kiev signed an agreement with the European Union that would allow it to take part in the Single Market Programme (SMP).
Following a meeting between the Ukrainian Cabinet and the EC Board in Kiev, Von der Leyen declared that the sides "agreed to integrate Ukraine further into our [EU] Single Market and include it in key EU programmes." She added that extending tariff-free access to the EU market and free roaming are also in the works.
Shmyhal noted that the parties signed a memorandum on a strategic partnership in the field of renewable gases, including biomethane and hydrogen. The SMP is a funding programme devised by the EU to enable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a total budget of €4.2 billion covering the period between 2021 and 2027.