The European Parliament's delegation will visit Ukraine on August 18-24 to participate in a forum of the Ukraine-EU parliamentary club, the director of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's information policy department, Oleh Voloshyn, has said.

He noted that the forum would be held in Yalta (Crimea) and that it would be attended by 12 MEPs from all major political groups.

"It is very important for us that such an organization as the European Parliament sends the necessary signals to the European Commission and other EU institutions concerning support for the integration processes of our country," Voloshyn added.

As reported, in 2007, Ukraine and the EU began negotiations on an association agreement. In early 2008, the parties began negotiating a free trade area, which should become part of the association agreement.

Ukraine and the EU have repeatedly stated their intention to finalize the agreement on the free trade area by the end of 2011.

On November 22, 2010, Ukraine and the EU agreed on an action plan, which Ukraine should implement for the introduction of a visa-free regime of short-term travel for its citizens.

In November 2010, after the 14th EU-Ukraine summit held in Brussels, the sides expressed hope that negotiations on the association agreement and the free trade area would be completed in 2011.