The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation.

Ukraine is a priority partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). A joint EU-Ukraine Action Plan was endorsed by the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council on 21 February 2005. It is based on the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) and provides a comprehensive and ambitious framework for joint work with Ukraine, in all key areas of reform.

Negotiations on a new enhanced agreement with Ukraine, which is to be the successor agreement to the PCA, started in Brussels on 5 March 2007. Several negotiating Rounds have since been organised, (see '2nd Joint Progress Report on Negotiations on the New Enhanced Agreement' under Key Documents).

Ukraine became a member of the World Trade Organisation in May 2008. With this in mind, negotiations on the establishment of a deep and comprehensive Free Trade Area, as an integral part of the Association Agreement, were launched in February 2008.