The European Union will provide Ukraine with EUR 37 million to help government agencies implement the Association Agreement and a free trade area with the EU and EUR 52.5 million to support reforms to develop the rule of law in Ukraine.

The respective two agreements on cooperation between the governments of Ukraine and the EU were signed in Kyiv on Friday, October 27, by Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv and Head of the Support Group for Ukraine at the European Commission Peter Wagner, the press service of the Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry reported.

According to the press release, the first project envisages the financing of a number of procedures for bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with EU law, as well as effective drafting and implementation of reforms. Technical assistance will be focused in such priority areas as public administration, agriculture, land reform, support for the private sector of the economy, health, culture, and transport.

The projects will be financed both through direct provision of grant funds and indirectly through their administration by the British Council, the EBRD, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the ministry said.

Of the total budget of the program worth almost EUR 38.1 million, the EU contribution is EUR 37 million, the British Council is almost EUR 0.6 million, and compensation for the contribution for participation in the COSME program is EUR 1 million.

As part of the second document signed by the parties, the European Commission will finance the support of judicial reform, in particular, the justice system, the execution of court judgments, improving access to the justice system, state registers, imposing sanctions, as well as supporting reform of the law enforcement system, with an emphasis on the National Police of Ukraine.

The budget of the program is EUR 52.5 million.