The European Association of Ukrainians
The European Association of Ukrainians (EAU) is a voluntary association of Ukrainians in the European Union with headquarters in Brussels and representatives in Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, Berlin.
The association was established in 2006 as a result of a durable work of Ukrainians and representatives of Ukrainian Diasporas in Europe.
Officers and trustees
The president of the association is Oleksiy Tolkachov. The initiative to establish the association belongs to Oleksiy Tolkachov and Oleksandr Kamenets, who is now its vice-president.
The association has a committee of trustees, which is formed every year. Today, members of the board of trustees committee of the association are:
- Sergey Kruglik, Director of Foreign Economic Relations of the National Bank of Ukraine;
- Boris Podolsky, private investor, entrepreneur;
- Borys Filatov, Honoured Journalist of Ukraine.
EAU aims and basic issues
Main aim of EAU is to develop and strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and European Union.
EAU sees its main objective in systematic dissemination of positive information about Ukraine in the European Union, which will facilitate the acceleration of the processes of integration into Europe by our country.
The association aims to represent and protect the political, economic and cultural interests of the Ukrainian community members who are permanently residing in European countries, as well as providing opportunities for Ukrainians living outside of their historical homeland to influence actively the processes in Ukraine, effectively influence upon the formation of a permanent positive image of our country in Europe.
Among the important tasks of the EAU is cooperation with prestigious European political, economic and cultural institutions for legislative work in Ukraine, scientific and legal review of legislative acts, which are going to be adopted by the Ukrainian parliament. The European Association of Ukrainians pays much attention to cooperation with the European Parliament, Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights, to defending the political and economic interests of Ukraine, providing the possibility of borrowing a modern and useful for our country European experience on political and economic issues.
EAU have been active in developing relations with European politicians. Association representatives met regularly with members of the European Parliament to discuss the political situation in Ukraine, the social and economic issues of European integration of Ukraine and issues of international cooperation. European Association of Ukrainians became an important source of information for the European deputies. In addition to meetings in Brussels, the association has also organized working meetings with MEPs with leaders of Ukrainian public organizations and think tanks in Kiev.
European Association of Ukrainians initiated creation of Ukrainian cultural centers in the European Union, roundtables on the topic of Ukraine's relations with the EU, supports the initiatives and helps to hold Days of Culture of Ukraine in Europe.
EUA activities
Since 2006, the association has been active in Ukraine and in Europe. Every year, since 2007, in Independence Day, August 24, EAU suit symbol of Brussels, the Manneken Pis, in the Ukrainian national clothes,.[1][2]
EAU conducts round tables and conferences in Brussels on European integration of Ukraine.
EAU supported the Ukrainian singer Mika Newton, who sang for Ukraine on Eurovision-2011. The association appealed to Ukrainians living in the EU to support the Ukrainian singer.[3]
The association participated in the creation in the European Parliament the Club Ukraine’s Friends, which was supposed to lobby for the interests of Ukraine in the European Parliament.[4]