Ukraine's obtaining the candidate status for membership in the European Union brings the National Bank closer to membership in the European community of central banks, NBU Governor, Kyrylo Shevchenko, said welcoming the decision taken yesterday by the European Council regarding Ukraine and Moldova.

"According to our vision, we see the National Bank as a full member of the European community of central banks. Obtaining the status of a candidate state for EU membership significantly brings us closer to achieving this goal," the regulator's press service quoted on Thursday.

He noted that the NBU, as the Central Bank of a candidate state for EU membership, will have much more opportunities to implement the European course of further transformation and development of the financial system.

It is indicated that the new status of the country provides for the fulfillment by Ukraine of its obligations to obtain the regime of the EU single internal market, in particular, such as the approximation of Ukrainian legislation in the field of financial services to the law of the European Union and the continued liberalization of capital flows.

In addition, the Central Bank will expand cooperation with European institutions, facilitate the receipt of a new package of EU macro-financial assistance in the amount of EUR 9 billion, take measures to better integrate the Ukrainian and European financial markets and open access for their participants to additional instruments of international payments.