What Does the Association Agreement Mean for Ukraine, the EU and Its Member States? A Legal Appraisal

This paper analyses the EU Association Agreement (AA) with Ukraine. It argues that this new legal framework, the objective of which is to establish a form of close political association and economic integration, is important for several reasons. First, the AA replaces the outdated Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and includes a comprehensive agenda for bilateral cooperation covering all areas of common interest. Second, it contains binding, rules-based provisions aiming at the export of EU rules and values. Third, the AA provides an ambitious agenda for Ukraine's political and economic reform