Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

AddedG. whereas Ukraine’s EU accession process constitutes a path toward peace and prosperity for Ukraine and also a strategic response to Russia’s aggression, reinforcing the EU’s geopolitical resilience;

RemovedH. whereas the judiciary has resumed key functions, including the vetting of judges and the implementation of anti-corruption measures, though integrity and transparency standards must be strengthened;

AddedM. whereas Ukraine’s democratic institutions have demonstrated adaptability by showcasing that, even amid Russia’s ongoing war of aggression and under martial law, Ukraine remains an institutionally, democratically and economically viable state; whereas, while Ukraine remains at war and is under martial law, elections are legally banned and impractical; whereas Parliament welcomes indications that preparations for elections may begin once martial law has ended; N. whereas progress has been made on public administration reform, but further capacity building, evidence-based policymaking, and improvements to human resources management are still required;

RemovedI. whereas Ukraine has shown a commitment to the green agenda through legislation on renewable energy and by aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal;

AddedO. whereas the judiciary has resumed key functions, including the vetting of judges and the implementation of anti-corruption measures, though integrity and transparency standards must be strengthened and there should be continuous oversight from international partners;

RemovedJ. whereas civil society remains a pillar of resilience and democracy in Ukraine, though instances of pressure against activists raise concerns and require government action;

AddedP. whereas the strengthening of the independence of the judiciary has benefited from the assistance of international experts in judicial selection commissions, which has also built public trust in the judicial system;

RemovedK. whereas the freedom of expression and media independence face challenges, particularly under martial law; whereas reforms are required to restore pluralism and protect journalists;

AddedQ. whereas international experts’ involvement in the selection of the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) ended on 1 June 2025;

AddedR. whereas Ukraine has shown a commitment, despite the continuous destruction of energy facilities by Russia, to the green agenda through legislation on renewable energy and by aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal;

AddedS. whereas the environmental damage caused by Russia has had devastating consequences for Ukraine’s natural resources, critical ecosystems and people’s health, livelihoods and security; whereas green recovery is about remedying that damage and setting Ukraine on a new path of environmental and social sustainability aligned with the environmental laws in the EU acquis; whereas Ukraine ceased to operate as a transit country for Russian gas on 1 January 2025;

AddedT. whereas foreign investors and multinational corporations have significantly expanded their control over Ukraine’s natural resources, including agricultural land, minerals and critical infrastructure; whereas such developments risk undermining national sovereignty, food security and economic self-determination;

AddedU. whereas in 2024, the EU purchases of Russian fossil fuels totalled EUR 21.9 billion, surpassing the EUR 18.7 billion in financial aid provided to Ukraine that same year; whereas since the start of the full-scale invasion, the EU has spent more than EUR 200 billion on Russian fossil fuels, thus contributing to funding Russia’s war chest; whereas the Commission has announced an end to Russian gas imports by 2027; whereas if the EU continues importing Russian energy at the rate it did in 2024, it would pay an additional EUR 57.4 billion to Russia before the end of 2027;

AddedV. whereas civil society remains a pillar of resilience and democracy in Ukraine; whereas, despite the restrictions imposed by martial law, NGOs continue to operate relatively unhindered, though instances of pressure against activists raise concerns and require government action; whereas recent abrupt US funding cuts have had devastating consequences for Ukrainian civil society;

AddedW. whereas the freedom of expression and media independence face challenges, particularly under martial law; whereas measures are required to restore pluralism, protect journalists and create a financially enabling environment; whereas it is understandable that certain restrictions are necessary during martial law;

Removed2. Stresses that the EU and its Member States must significantly increase the assistance they provide to uphold Ukraine’s right to self-defence; insists that the EU and its Member States, together with partner and allies, must contribute to robust security guarantees for Ukraine in order to deter further Russian aggression;

AddedThe Russian war of aggression as the context for Ukraine's EU accession preparations

Added1. Condemns in the strongest terms the Russian Federation’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure; reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the brave people of Ukraine, who have paid the highest price over the past three years in defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in protecting Europe and our shared democratic values and principles; expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the fallen heroes and innocent civilian victims of the Russian aggression, including the more than 600 children who have been killed;

Added2. Confirms its unwavering commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders; reiterates its policy of non-recognition of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by Russia, including Crimea; strongly underlines Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which entails the right to strike military targets on Russian soil; reaffirms the EU’s commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine on terms that are acceptable to Ukraine and its people, ensuring the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the prosecution of those responsible for war crimes, as well as the payment of reparations; calls for the EU and its Member States to actively work towards maintaining and achieving the broadest possible international support for Ukraine and identifying a peaceful solution to the war that must be based on full respect for international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and accountability for war crimes and the crime of aggression, as well as Russian payments for the massive damage caused in Ukraine; stresses that any peaceful solution must respect the will of the Ukrainian people and not be imposed by any other international actor and must not reward aggression or undermine Ukraine’s future security; regards the disingenuous approach to negotiations and unserious proposals by Russian leaders over the past months as additional proof that Russia intends to prolong its war on the entire Ukrainian territory as long as it can and is allowed to; stresses that peace negotiations must be preceded by an unconditional ceasefire; calls for continued EU support to Ukrainian and international efforts to strengthen the documentation and investigation of war crimes committed by Russian forces;

Added3. Expresses deep concern over the shift in the United States’ stance on Russia’s war of aggression, which has included engaging directly with Russia without exerting meaningful pressure, publicly renouncing major leverage, refusing additional and discussing lifting of sanctions, and attempting to coerce Ukraine into making territorial concessions and relinquishing its legitimate right to self-defence; stresses that in light of these developments, the EU and its Member States must remain Ukraine’s primary strategic allies and should reinforce their leadership role in supporting Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty, peace and justice; notes that EU support to Ukraine has now surpassed that of the United States, underlining the EU’s vital role in sustaining Ukraine’s resilience and recovery;

Added4. Stresses that the EU and its Member States must significantly increase the effectiveness and accelerate the delivery of military, material and financial assistance they provide to uphold Ukraine’s right to self-defence; insists that the EU and its Member States, together with partners and allies, must contribute to robust security guarantees for Ukraine in order to deter further Russian aggression and enable Ukraine to fully focus on pursuing the necessary reforms on the path towards EU accession; underlines the importance of permanently strengthening the security of the EU’s and NATO’s eastern flank in response to threats from Russia; calls for the development of military and logistical infrastructure in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries; recognises Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its military alliances;

Added5. Recalls that Europe has already supported Ukraine with EUR 50 billion in military aid but underlines that further assistance is required and that such support now depends largely on Europe itself; urges the Member States to provide more arms and ammunition to Ukraine before any negotiations are concluded, and to substantially reinforce intelligence sharing with Ukraine; calls on the EU Member States, international partners and NATO allies to lift all restrictions on the use of Western weapons systems delivered to Ukraine against military targets in Russian territory; welcomes Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its domestic defence industrial base, including the production of drones and other critical technologies; insists on the paramount importance of cooperation with and the integration of Ukraine into EU defence initiatives, including the integration of the Ukrainian defence industry into the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base in order to strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy; encourages the development of joint arms manufacturing projects with EU and NATO partners; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support these initiatives through the European Defence Industrial Strategy and relevant instruments, in order to reinforce Ukraine’s long-term self-defence capabilities; highlights the urgency of properly financing the European defence industry programme’s Ukraine Support Instrument, which has not yet had any funds allocated to it;

Added6. Reiterates its call on the EU Member States to follow the Danish and Dutch examples to partner with the Ukrainian defence industry and support their production capacities in the most efficient manner;

Added7. Welcomes the achievements of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM), which has provided training for Ukrainian military personnel; supports the Council’s decision of 8 November 2024 to extend the mandate of the mission for two years; calls for EUMAM’s financial, logistical and human resources to be expanded and adapted to the evolving military training needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as to long-term reform efforts in line with the joint security commitments between the EU and Ukraine; emphasises that EUMAM should also act as a platform for the exchange of best practices, ensuring that European forces benefit from the battlefield experience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces;

Added8. Condemns in the strongest terms the violent actions of Russia, and the complicity of Belarus, in the mistreatment of Ukrainian children, including murder, forced transfer, deportation and illegal adoption and in erasing Ukrainian identity by enforced Russification; calls for the EU to cooperate closely with and support Ukrainian authorities, international organisations and NGOs in documenting all missing and deported children, ensuring their safe return and reintegration, and providing the necessary legal, psychological and social support;

Added9. Condemns Russia’s inhumane treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, including torture and executions, which grossly violates the Geneva Conventions, while Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine enjoy all the rights afforded to them by international law, including visits and assistance from the international organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); welcomes the largest prisoner exchange to date, which took place in May 2025, and calls for the EU, its Member States and the international community to facilitate further exchanges and apply necessary pressure to ensure they continue; deplores the illegal imprisonment of Ukrainian civilians by Russia, who are being held incommunicado and under inhumane conditions, which includes torture and extrajudicial killings; calls for increased international pressure to ensure the release of all detained Ukrainians; calls on the ICRC to insist that the Russian authorities provide international ICRC representatives unhindered access to all locations where Ukrainian prisoners of war are held;

Added10. Underlines the importance of comprehensive accountability and justice mechanisms; welcomes Ukraine’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and corresponding amendments to the Criminal Code; welcomes the Core Group Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement (Lviv Statement) of 9 May 2025 on the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine; underlines that prosecuting the crime of aggression is essential for upholding the rules-based international order and preventing impunity; calls for the EU institutions and Member States to continue supporting the establishment and functioning of the Special Tribunal within the framework of the Council of Europe; encourages all parties to guarantee that Ukrainian civil society organisations and victims of the war can play a meaningful role in the tribunal’s work; is convinced that a just and lasting peace is possible only when Ukrainian children, other civilians forcibly deported or detained, and prisoners of war, are released and reunited with their families, and when those responsible are brought to justice;

Added11. Underlines that sanctions, alongside the prevention and countering of sanction circumvention, remain crucial instruments to undermine Russia’s capacity to continue its war of aggression and to neutralise threats posed to European security; calls for the expansion of sanctions targeting the Russian economy, including in the metallurgy, nuclear, chemical, energy and financial sectors; welcomes the adoption of the 17th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation and calls for the EU and its Member States to adopt additional sanctions packages, particularly aimed at tackling the circumvention of existing measures; stresses that strict implementation and enforcement of sanctions are essential to deprive Russia’s war machine of resources and strengthen Ukraine’s resilience; calls on the Commission and the Member States to work to ensure continued US participation in sanctions implementation against Russia in order to maintain the pressure on Russia’s economy and state budget; is of the opinion that sanctions must be extended and continued until Russia ends its war of aggression against Ukraine and pays war reparations;

Added12. Urges an accelerated phasing out of Russian hydrocarbon products in the EU to finally achieve a total ban; reiterates that ending the EU energy dependence on Russia’s hydrocarbons is essential for Europe’s energy security; welcomes the effective implementation of the EU’s full embargo on Russian coal, which has ended the EU’s dependence on Russian coal; recalls the EU embargo on Russian oil but regrets that Hungary and Slovakia have chosen to remain dependent on it and urges them to swiftly end this harmful reliance, where needed, with specific support measures; calls on the Council to sanction all vessels operating within the Russian shadow fleet and contact the flag states to de-list these vessels from their ships register, thereby making them ‘uninsurable’ for insurance companies; urges the increase of efforts to prevent the circumvention of existing sanctions against Russian oil; urges the EU and G7 coalition to lower the price cap on oil to further reduce Russia’s financial capacity to wage war; welcomes the Re-Power EU Plan recently announced by the Commission; urges the Commission, however, to advance the timelines thereof wherever possible and to take where needed interim measures such as lowering the oil price cap and implementing a liquefied natural gas price cap and import quota; strongly rejects calls to resume projects like Nord Stream 1 and 2; deeply regrets that more than three years after the start of the full-scale invasion, the Council has not adopted a full embargo on Russian gas; calls for a swift adoption of such a measure;

Added13. Deplores the obstructive behaviour of governments within the EU that have threatened to veto or undermine restrictive measures against Russia; supports the intention to criminalise the violation and circumvention of sanctions in Ukraine, as proposed in urgent draft law No. 12406; underlines that enforcing such legislation is essential to closing loopholes that allow sanctioned assets to be withdrawn during the blocking stage and to bringing to justice enablers of Russia’s war of aggression; urges Ukraine to adopt this draft law in line with the relevant EU best practices;

Added14. Urges the Commission and the Member States to confiscate the immobilised Russian assets and make them available for Ukraine’s defence, reconstruction and reparations for victims, in line with international law and the principle of state responsibility; stresses, in order to achieve the former, the paramount importance of ensuring that sovereign Russian assets remain immobilised within the EU;

Added15. Calls for strong leadership from the Council and the Commission to find a sustainable solution regarding the EU’s temporary protection mechanism for over 4 million Ukrainians, which has been extended until March 2026; emphasises the need to ensure equal treatment and prevent fragmentation across the EU; highlights the importance of upholding the rights of Ukrainians who cannot return and wish to remain in the EU, while also supporting those who choose to return and rebuild their lives in Ukraine;

Added16. Encourages Ukraine and the Member States to cooperate closely with a view to maximising the potential economic participation of Ukraine’s refugee and diaspora population to ensure resilience and inclusivity of Ukraine’s ongoing and future economic recovery and reconstruction;

Removed8. Encourages Ukraine to safeguard the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption institutions, including the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), by ensuring transparent appointment processes and protecting such bodies from political influence; commends Ukraine for having increased the staff of SAPO;

Added21. Salutes the development by Ukraine, in cooperation with the Commission, of three reform roadmaps covering the rule of law, public administration reform and the functioning of democratic institutions, with anti-corruption efforts embedded throughout; notes that these roadmaps, once approved by the Commission, will serve as a critical benchmark for monitoring Ukraine’s reform progress; welcomes the inclusion of anti-corruption efforts as an integral element of all three roadmaps; underlines the importance of anchoring reforms within broader societal and political transformations to ensure their long-term durability, effective implementation, and the independent functioning of public institutions; stresses the importance of nurturing a constructive political culture and fostering trust-based cooperation among political parties in Ukraine; notes positively the active participation of Ukrainian parliamentarians in the Jean Monnet Dialogue and encourages the application of European best practices to promote cross-party collaboration in the face of shared challenges on the path to EU membership;

Removed9. Acknowledges the findings of the addendum to the Second Compliance Report adopted by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption on 22 November 2024, according to which Ukraine has implemented satisfactorily or dealt with in a satisfactory manner 18 out of 31 recommendations contained in that report; encourages Ukraine to fully implement the remaining recommendations;

Added22. Welcomes progress in judicial reform during the reporting period and encourages Ukraine to further enhance transparency in its legislative processes and to allocate to it increased financial, human and technical resources to address the challenges obstructing judicial development, increase judicial independence and strengthen the fight against corruption, thereby ensuring alignment with EU standards while avoiding superficial measures that could hinder EU accession;

Added23. Notes that, despite the improved legislative framework, the judiciary remains one of the sectors more vulnerable to corruption and political interference, as evidenced by repeated instances of high-scale corruption and undue influence in court and judicial institutions operations, including the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU) and the HQCJ; notes with concern the continued paralysis of the CCU, and urges swift appointment of the remaining judges and filling of vacancies at the High Council of Justice; calls, furthermore, on the Verkhovna Rada to adopt a Law on the Constitutional Court in line with Venice Commission opinions and, in addition, calls on Ukraine to adopt an action plan and internal reforms to prevent undue interference and to strengthen judicial ethics; underlines the particular importance of safeguarding the institutional independence of the HQCJ also in the light of commitments made under international agreements, including with the International Monetary Fund; emphasises the need to intensify the fight against corruption and vested interests in the judiciary, which is indispensable for building public trust and advancing Ukraine’s accession process; highlights the importance of transparent and merit-based selection processes for judicial governance bodies and managerial positions, including the involvement of independent national and international experts; stresses the need for depoliticised judicial appointments, functional integrity safeguards, transparency, integrity, accountability and enhanced international monitoring to prevent selective justice and foster public confidence in the judiciary;

Added24. Notes with concern the critical shortage of judges, excessive caseloads in most courts, substantial funding deficiencies and the uneven distribution of judicial work, all of which undermine the quality and timeliness of proceedings and impede citizens’ access to justice; stresses the need to address these issues, including through the use of mediation and procedural filtering mechanisms to alleviate pressure on the judiciary; notes that Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring 35 out of 100 points, which underscores the scale of ongoing challenges in anti-corruption governance; stresses that improving judicial education and completing the digitalisation of Ukraine’s courts are key to Ukraine’s broader judicial reform;

Added25. Welcomes the appointment of a new head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and the commencement of independent audits to evaluate the effectiveness of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) in combating corruption; salutes the entry into force of the amended Criminal Code and of the Criminal Procedure Code, which are expected to enhance the efficiency of anti-corruption enforcement, notably through improvements to the plea bargaining framework; recognises the increase in annual verdicts delivered by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) and the rise in indictments submitted by NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), reflecting steady progress in prosecutorial activity; welcomes the restoration of asset declaration procedures and public access, the strengthening of conflict-of-interest regulations, and improvements in the independence of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office; commends the adoption of the action plan for implementing the 2024–2025 asset recovery strategy and related measures; calls for the urgent reform of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency and supports the prompt adoption of draft law No. 12374-d to enhance its functioning; welcomes the expansion of staff within the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Office of the Prosecutor General and urges continued development of anti-corruption policies in natural resource governance;

Added26. Notes the continuing shortage of judges at the HACC and stresses the urgency of launching a new transparent competition to fill vacant posts, ensuring the Court has sufficient personnel and premises to function effectively; highlights the need to fill the vacant position of Prosecutor General without delay and underlines the importance of reinforcing the institutional independence of the office, while ensuring proper checks on its powers;

Added27. Encourages Ukraine to safeguard the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption institutions, including SAPO and NABU, by ensuring transparent appointment procedures, shielding these bodies from political interference, and reinforcing their institutional autonomy; stresses the importance of granting SAPO greater independence from the Prosecutor General’s Office and of equipping NABU with the means for timely access to forensic expertise and autonomous wiretapping capacity to conduct effective investigations; commends Ukraine for increasing the number of staff of SAPO and underlines the need to match this growth with adequate financial and technical resources to ensure operational capacity;

Added28. Welcomes the adoption of the Law ‘On Lobbying’ as part of Ukraine’s de-oligarchisation agenda; stresses the need for a renewed and comprehensive strategy to counter oligarchic influence, ensuring the involvement of national stakeholders, international experts, and civil society organisations; encourages the Ukrainian authorities to continue working on reforming the governance of state-owned enterprises (SOE) in line with OECD guidelines, in order to minimise the potential for patronage and to prevent corruption, including by publishing all SOE beneficial-ownership data, and ensuring that all major SOEs have independent, gender-balanced boards;

Added29. Emphasises the importance of further reform in financial control, including improving the monitoring performance by the State Audit Service and proper implementation of the Accounting Chamber reform to safeguard national spending;

Added30. Acknowledges the findings of the addendum to the Second Compliance Report adopted by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption on 22 November 2024, according to which Ukraine has implemented satisfactorily or dealt with in a satisfactory manner 18 out of 31 recommendations contained in the report; encourages Ukraine to fully implement the remaining recommendations, particularly by introducing a system for random allocation of cases to prosecutors, clarifying the definitions of disciplinary offences, and expanding the range of disciplinary sanctions to ensure proportionality and effectiveness, taking into account Ukraine’s specific circumstances;

Added31. Urges Ukraine to prioritise the strengthening of the rule of law, judicial reform and the fight against corruption, and calls for the EU and the Member States to intensify support for these efforts, as progress in these areas is critical not only for EU membership but also for successful reconstruction and economic trust; recommends the adoption of a robust whistleblower protection law in line with the EU acquis; notes that Ukraine’s current anti-corruption policy framework expires in 2025 and highlights the need for a renewed State Anti-Corruption Programme that reflects civil society input and sets ambitious goals, measurable criteria and clear timelines;

Added32. Calls on the Commission to include Ukraine in the EU rule-of-law toolbox to strengthen democratic reform implementation in advance of accession; encourages enhanced law enforcement capacity for financial investigations by developing methodological guidance and clarifying responsibilities, including better responses to criminal schemes such as the use of money mules;

Added33. Notes that Russia’s war of aggression places immense pressure on Ukraine’s judicial system, including as a result of the high volume of ‘collaboration’ cases; calls, in this regard, for careful application of the legislation on ‘collaboration’, safeguarding fundamental rights and judicial fairness, and encourages a unified prosecutorial approach based on legal clarity and factual rigour, crucial for the reintegration of liberated territories; encourages the Ukrainian authorities, in this respect, to prioritise prosecutions based on their gravity and relevance to state security, in line with the Fourth Geneva Convention; calls for improved transparency and public access to data on such prosecutions;

Added34. Urges Ukraine to regulate virtual assets by adopting comprehensive legislation, designating a supervisory authority, conducting a risk assessment, and supporting the detection of financial crimes involving virtual assets; welcomes, in this respect, the recent adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of draft law No. 11290 and urges the adoption of draft law No. 12207, which inter alia introduces European cybersecurity certification schemes and aims to align the Ukrainian legislation with EU standards;

Added40. Commends Ukraine’s ability to ensure educational continuity and reform, notably through digital tools, EU-supported programmes, and resilient public infrastructure development; encourages the Commission to expand support for Ukrainian students and institutions under Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and the EU4Youth programmes;

Added41. Welcomes Ukraine’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the establishment of survivor-support centres; encourages Ukraine to provide sustained funding for gender-based violence prevention and victim support, especially given the heightened risks during war; encourages Ukraine to improve the Law ‘On the Principles of Preventing and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine’ and the Criminal Code of Ukraine on hate crimes in accordance with international standards, and to introduce the necessary legislative changes to implement the Istanbul Convention;

Added42. Recognises the increased risks of human trafficking, especially for women and children, in conflict and post-conflict settings; calls on the Ukrainian authorities, with EU support, to strengthen detection mechanisms, and to collaborate with civil society to ensure the protection and rehabilitation of victims in line with the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive;

Added43. Supports enhanced EU assistance to Ukraine in the field of physical rehabilitation and prosthetic care, especially for injured soldiers, mine victims and amputees; stresses the importance of developing a national prosthetics and rehabilitation system with EU and Member State support; encourages partnerships with European medical institutions to enhance capacity, training and access to modern equipment;

Added44. Takes note of the adoption of the law that will allow the Orthodox parishes from Ukraine to disaffiliate from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate and to decide freely on their new hierarchical affiliation; condemns the unlawful appropriation and removal of cultural heritage items from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories by Russian forces; urges respect for religious and cultural heritage in temporarily occupied areas, including 485 already destroyed sites, places of worship and sacred sites; underlines the responsibility of all parties to protect cultural heritage in line with international conventions;

Added45. Calls on Ukraine to continue the approximation of labour standards, in particular as regards freedom of assembly and social dialogue, and encourages Ukraine to continue aligning its national labour and social legislation with EU standards, particularly in the areas of employment, social policy and equal opportunities; calls on the Commission to provide additional support to advance this progress; emphasises the need for broad consultations with trade unions and civil society and recommends that the expertise of the International Labour Organization on the matter be taken into account;