Legal basis of Ukraine and Israel relations

25 August 2012 16:58

Legal basis of the Ukrainian-Israeli relations

Legal basis of Ukrainian-Israeli relations starts it development from the moment of signing on January 12, 1993 of the Memorandum of mutual understanding and guidelines on cooperation. Today it consists of 74 interstate, intergovernmental and interagency bilateral documents regarding activities in the spheres of policy, economy, science and technique, military, culture, consular issues, crime prevention and customs matters, education, communication, agriculture, environmental protection etc.

The main achievements of relations in the economic sphere are the maintenance of the tendency to increase bilateral trade, as well as the support of a mutually determined course for the creation of a free trade zone. Initial documents in this sphere are an Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel on trade and economic cooperation, from 11.07.1995 and also Convention between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital, from 26.11.2003.

On January 21, 2019, a Free Trade Agreement was signed in Jerusalem between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel. The purpose of the Agreement is to create a legal basis for the liberalization of markets for industrial and agricultural goods of the parties. The agreement will promote the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, allow domestic producers to benefit from the liberalization of the Israeli goods market, and open opportunities for Ukrainian business to expand markets and develop and modernize their own production.

Meanwhile, special attention is directed to the issues of the cultural and humanitarian aspects. The main accent is maid on the mutual saving and honoring of the cultural heritage. The basic document in this sphere is a protocol of specific agreements in the field of education, within the framework of the agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of Israel on cooperation in the fields of culture and education (16.06.1994).

Each year the legal framework is complemented by new agreements, bilateral protocols, memorandums of intentions etc.

On June 7, 2016, in Kyiv was signed an Agreement between the Government of the State of Israel and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on temporary employment of Ukrainian workers in certain sectors of the labor market of the State of Israel. The agreement defines the legal basis for temporary employment of Ukrainian workers in Israel and provides for the possibility of signing other protocols in the future, which will open the Israeli labor market for Ukrainian specialists in relevant fields. This agreement is valid from 05.12.2016.

In 2019 between Ukraine and Israel were signed:

- Implementation Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel on assistance in the study of the Hebrew language in educational institutions of Ukraine and the study of the Ukrainian language in educational institutions of the State of Israel;

- Program of cooperation in the fields of education, culture, youth and sports between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel for 2019-2022;

- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and the Israeli Patent Office of the Ministry of Justice of the State of Israel;

- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the State of Israel on cooperation in the field of agriculture.

A number of treaty acts are currently being prepared for signing, which should intensify other areas of bilateral Ukrainian-Israeli cooperation.

List of Agreements

The list of the basic agreements between Ukraine and Israel

1. Memorandum of mutual understanding and guidelines on cooperation between Ukraine and Israel, from 12.01.1993.

2. Air transportation agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel, from 12.01.1993.

3. Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel on cooperation in the field of agriculture, from 12.01.1993.

4. Agreement on cooperation in the field of crime prevention and law enforcement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel, from 16.06.1994.

5. Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel on trade and economic cooperation, from 11.07.1995.

6. Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel regarding mutual assistance in customs matters, from 25.11.1996.

7. Agreement on cooperation in the field of education between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel, from 09.04.2000.

8. Convention between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital, from 26.11.2003.

9. Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of Israel to waive visa requirements for persons who use passports or official passports of citizen of Ukraine and the State of Israel, from 21.07.2010. (came into force from the 9th of February 2011).

10. Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel for the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, from (24.11.2010).The Parliament of Ukraine ratified this agreement on June 1, 2011.

11. Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel on the temporary employment of Ukrainian workers in specific labor market sectors in the State of Israel.

12. Free Trade Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel (signed January 21, 2019, must undergo ratification by Israeli side).