Ukraine – EU Parliamentary Club

Anybody out there heard of the Ukraine-EU Parliamentary Club?

I have been following this website for a while.  I have decided to follow some of the MEP’s involved on Twitter, not that those I follow have tweeted anything at all, let alone anything of substance since I began to follow them.

I have emailed one of the MEPs asking about the strategies and policies being pursued, whether meetings held here (if they are ever held in Ukraine) are open to public and civil society or a closed shop avoiding questions from the hoy polloy about what they are doing and how they are going about it with no answer as yet.

I wonder how much money this website and the political chin-wagging behind it costs by way of EU funds and what it delivers per Euro spent?

Is it a necessary parliament to parliament channel or is it a pointless institution surpassed by numerous other politically high-powered channels.

Looking at the About Us page of the website this group claims that the “Parliamentary Club of the Ukraine-EU will not duplicate, or replace, nor confronts with other structures, and is seen as a form of international dialogue involving a wide range of members.”

Very good, no duplicity, no replacing other channels or confronts with other structures and yet it goes on to say “The group plans to work on several areas namely: adaptation of legislation, the issue of transit, electoral law, visa regime etc.”

First question would be to whose legislation would Ukraine be adapting?  Italian blogging laws, or Hungarian media laws, both of which have been roundly criticised by the EU within the last 12 months?  The working time directive so hastily opted out of by the UK?   Ensreg atomic regulations and recommendations which are rather meaningless in comparison to the IAEA decisions?  I could go on but you get my point.

Is it simply to adapt to EU legislation?  Is that EU legislation that every EU Member State is in or EU legislation that most EU Members States are in (and did not opt out)?  What’s the rush?  The EU has publicly stated it won’t be expanding until 2025-2030 (with the exception of Croatia).  Will the EU still exist in 2030?  If it does it won’t be as it is today so will Ukraine even want to join it?  Will it benefit from anything more than AA status and economic agreement?

There is an on-going raft of legislative changes to facilitate the DCFTA, pension reform, Visa rules (Ukrainian reforms already in effect from 10 September) etc., so duplicity is assured.

As it is a matter of both fact and public record that Ukraine is working with both OSCE and the Council of Europe over the electoral laws (as well as others like the Criminal Code), are they not duplicating the work of those other structures?  Which electoral system laws would the EU Parliamentary Club be attempting to mirror in Ukraine?  The German PR system?  The UK FPP system?  What about the electoral college system or even AV?

Should it be a parliamentary system with an almost ceremonial presidential figurehead like many EU nations?  But what about the French?  Mr Sarkozy is hardly a powerless or A-political head of state like the Queen for instance.

I was under the impression that a road map for Visa-free travel had already been given to Ukraine by the European Commission, so that and the Association Agreement, are both subject to that structure.  Thus it appears once again that the Ukraine-EU Parliamentary Club are indeed duplicating yet another area.

From their statement of relating to the areas they are looking at, if they are truly not duplicating the work of other structures, then they seem to be left with “etc.” from their list of policy areas.

They have an entire national structure to “Europeanise” and yet have named areas that are certainly being addressed by other EU structures with far more political and diplomatic clout, that have been pursuing these areas long before this group was created.

Given the complexities and philosophies that form a society, there must surely be some niche areas in which they would operate more effectively.  It returns us to the age old dilemma of international aid and nation building.  Do you deal with the big issues, take but one example, let’s say of education, and ignore the countless broken windows and broken radiators in every school you visit as they are mere minor details, or do you fix things as you find them whilst keeping the big picture in mind, slowly but surely making a real difference where you find a small problem whilst hammering away at the big issue?

They do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Considering the highest level of political and diplomatic engagement and energy between the leadership of the EU and Ukraine, I would suggest that the big issues have enough political power and momentum to succeed should there be such a desire from both sides.

No offence meant, but surely this parliamentary club should be setting its sights on something far more commensurate with their level of responsibility and ability in order to deliver something tangible rather than warm handshakes and taking turns with expense accounts?

I do appreciate that personal relationships are often essential when climbing the slippery political career pole, and international relationships will trump domestic ones, however, if there needs to be a new channel of communication then that channel needs to produce some results or it is pointless.

Can this group deliver more than the likes of Von Rompuy or Ashton?  Is the leadership of Ukraine and the Ukrainian parliament more likely to listen to the EC, OSCE, the Council of Europe, Euronest or the Venice Commission?

In short, without getting answers as to the strategies and what “etc.” actually is in their statement, on the face of it there is nothing to be gained by this new channel of communication.

It does seem to be just another EU “thingy” that is well meant but actually does not really have a “grand plan” but more a “suck it and see” agenda.

I hope to be proved wrong and for it to be an absolute success justifying every Euro it costs, and yet I feel a sense of foreboding given the false grandioseness and importance that the EU parliament masquerades in.

Time will tell I suppose, however in the meantime, the big kids in the playground will sort out the DCFTA and AA.