The European Parliament (EP) calls on Ukraine to develop and introduce mechanisms monitor Ukraine's implementation of reforms.

This is outlined in the Reforms and Institutional Framework section of the report on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement (AA) with Ukraine backed by the European Parliament. Rapporteur was Michael Gahler (Germany).

"[The EP] calls on the Commission to use the mechanisms in place to facilitate and support Ukraine's implementation of reforms; suggests the development and implementation, in close cooperation with civil society, of qualitative and quantitative mechanisms to monitor Ukraine’s implementation of reforms, including clear benchmarks, recommendations and principles of conditionality to be used to improve the methodology of the annual implementation reports, which should become effective tools of guidance for reforms," the MEPs said in the report.

The EP also highlights the need for upgraded steering and reporting mechanisms for assessing the progress made by Ukraine, in particular, in the areas of reform of the justice sector, anti-corruption, state-owned enterprises, corporate governance and energy reforms, which would be linked with economic and investment support.

The EP recommends focusing on a limited number of priorities on which to concentrate political efforts, financial support and technical assistance with a view to effectively building up the institutional capacity required to secure the long-term success of reforms, not only in legislation, but also in practice.

The EP also acknowledges the associated partnership status of Ukraine and calls for an enhanced political dialogue with them in order to advance further economic integration and legislative harmonization.

The EP invites the EU, in line with the principle of 'more for more,' to consider creating for the three associated countries (Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova) an enhanced cooperation strategy of reforms and investments.

The EP also calls on the Commission to upgrade neglected areas of the AA/DCFTAs with regard to important policy areas such as gender mainstreaming and dealing with health crises.

The EP welcomes the advancements made by Ukraine in the fulfilment of the country's commitments enshrined in the AA, particularly in the fields of agriculture, energy, banking, decentralisation, the digital economy, the environment and electoral procedures; notes, however, that according to the review mechanism of the AA ('Pulse of the AA'), only 37 % of AA implementation-related tasks were completed in 2019 (down from 52 % in 2018).

"The EP acknowledges the attempts made in the second half of 2019 to accelerate the pace of reforms, but urges Ukrainian institutions not to privilege the speed of the legislative process over the quality of the legislation adopted, and stresses the importance of continuing to implement its commitments," the MEPs said.

The EP underlines, in this respect, that Ukraine must not overlook the fact that the level of political, technical and financial support from the EU will depend on the extent to which it fulfils the commitments it has made to the Union and its Member States, especially as regards the reform process, respect for human rights, minorities and fundamental freedoms, and the establishment of a genuine and effective rule of law.

In addition, the EP commends Ukraine for the progress it has made in reforming its public administration and stresses the importance of not slowing down further progress.

The EP also urges Ukraine to complete the decentralisation reform.