The European Commission has proposed disbursing €8. 04 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility programme, €264. 6 million less than Kyiv requested, because it has not fully met requirements concerning supervisory boards at state-owned businesses and preparations to liberalise the energy market.
Source: European Commission proposal for a Council Implementing Decision "On establishing the satisfactory fulfilment of the conditions for the partial payment of the ninth instalment under the Ukraine Plan of the Ukraine Facility" dated 21 October, the text of which has been seen by European Pravda's Brussels correspondent
Details: The European Commission proposes approving €8. 04 billion for Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility mechanism, but points out unfulfilled reforms.
Quote: "Ukraine has satisfactorily fulfilled the relevant conditions for the partial payment... of the fourth, seventh, eighth and ninth instalments of financial assistance under the Ukraine Plan. Such assistance shall amount to EUR 8 040 665 425 before clearing the pre-financing, of which EUR 298 747 120 corresponds to the fourth instalment, EUR 368 010 368 corresponds to the seventh instalment, EUR 95 530 669 corresponds to the eighth instalment and EUR 7 278 377 268 corresponds to the ninth instalment."
Details: EU sources familiar with the matter told European Pravda that after deductions for the repayment of previously disbursed pre-financing,the actual amount payable to Ukraine will be around €7. 8 billion. A Council of the EU decision is required to approve the proposed payment, which isexpected by the end of November . For the ninth instalment, the European Commission assessed 16 of the 18 required steps as satisfactorily fulfilled. Among them were the modernisation of the IT system for enforcing court decisions; approval of the Human Rights Protection Strategy; adoption of an anti-human trafficking programme, a strategy to reduce state ownership in banks and an Employment Strategy; investment in education, healthcare and housing for veterans with disabilities, families of fallen veterans and internally displaced persons; preparations for an independent assessment of the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC); and measures relating to electronic identification and water monitoring. The two outstanding steps concern the appointment of supervisory boards with a majority of independent members at state-owned businesses (completed at 10 of the required 15) and the adoption of a roadmap for gradually liberalising the gas and electricity markets. In determining the payment amount, the Commission proposed taking into account partial fulfilment of the requirement regarding supervisory boards and the early fulfilment of one step scheduled for the 10 th instalment: submitting a request for an IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission. Factoring in these elements, the Commission proposed paying Ukraine an additional €529. 4 million. Consequently, the difference between Ukraine's request and the proposed payment amount is only €264. 6 million (rather than nearly €800 million, as it could have been). Background: On 2 October, Ukraine received €2. 9 billion from the EU under the Ukraine Facility. European Pravda previously covered in detail the reforms Ukraine completed to receive that tranche. EU Commissioner Marta Kos called on Ukrainian authorities to unite in exchange for funding . Subscribe onPatreonto back our journalism long-term.