Scientific and technological cooperation between the EU and Ukraine

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine

Decision 2003/96/EC concluding the agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and Ukraine

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The agreement establishes generic rules for cooperation between the European Community (now the European Union (EU)) and Ukraine, aimed at encouraging, developing and facilitating activities in science and technology fields of common interest.
By its decision, the Council of the European Union approved the agreement on behalf of the European Community.

KEY POINTS

Activities

Cooperation activities carried out under the agreement are based on a set of principles:

mutual benefits, including economic and social benefits;
timely exchange of information.

Cooperation

Cooperation may be pursued in research, including basic research, and in technological development and demonstration activities in the following areas:

environment and climate, including earth observation
biomedicine and health
agriculture, forestry and fisheries
industrial and production technologies
materials and metrology
non-nuclear energy
transportation
information society technologies
social sciences
science and technology policy.

Cooperation modalities can include the following as relevant for the purposes of the agreement:

participation of Ukrainian entities in EU science and technology projects;
free access to and shared use of research facilities and data collections;
visits and exchanges of scientists, engineers or other appropriate personnel for the purposes of participating in seminars, symposia and workshops;
exchange of information on practices, legislation, regulations and programmes.

Areas of cooperation and modalities can be reviewed upon recommendation by the EU–Ukraine Joint Committee mentioned in Article 6 of the agreement. The committee is a body established to coordinate and facilitate cooperation activities under the agreement. It is also responsible for the general oversight of the implementation of the agreement and the promotion of the activities envisaged.

The dissemination and utilisation of information, and the management, allocation and exercise of intellectual property rights, resulting from joint research under the agreement are subject to the rules set out in Annex 2 to the agreement.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 11 February 2003, and was recently renewed in June 2022 making it effective as from 8 November 2019 for a period of 5 years.

BACKGROUND

Relations with Ukraine are governed principally by the EU’s association agreement with Ukraine, which was signed in 2014 (see summary).

For further information, see:

International research and innovation cooperation with Ukraine (European Commission)
Ukraine (European External Action Service)
EU–Ukraine relations – factsheet (European External Action Service).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine (OJ L 36, 12.2.2003, pp. 32–39).

Council Decision 2003/96/EC of 6 February 2003 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and Ukraine (OJ L 36, 12.2.2003, p. 31).

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