On September 16, 2014 at the plenary session in Strasbourg Deputies of the European Parliament ratified the agreement on association of Ukraine with EU signed at the end of June.
The document envisaging creation of free trade zone has passed all stages of approval in EU during a very short time. 525 of 697 deputies voted for the document and 127 ones against it.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed the law on association with EU right after its approval in the Supreme Rada.
Ratification of the document is a formality, because economic part of the agreement will not enter into force yet. Last week in Brussels Ukraine and EU agreed to postpone creation of free trade zone and maintain the free trade regime within the CIS till December 31, 2015. During this period some Ukrainian goods could enter the European market without duties, but the export of European products to Ukraine will still be liable to duties.
