Pavlo Sheremeta: Signing of economic section of Association Agreement with the EU to mark advantages for Ukrainian producers

posted 05 June 2014 10:36

Signing of an economic section of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which in particular, envisages free trade area (FTA) will open a new sales market for Ukrainian manufacturers, though a rather highly competitive market, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Pavlo Sheremeta stressed in his comment with the TRK Ukrayina channel.

He explained, in fact, signing of the economic section of the Association will mean fixed trade preferences, that are presently in effect from the EU side for the Ukrainian origin goods.

“The benefit consists in the fact that the preferences already introduced by the EU for Ukrainian goods’ producers on the temporary basis by September 1 will be fixed forever. It means that Ukrainian manufacturers will have a chance to plan long and average term future, keeping in mind that one of the largest world markets is open,” Pavlo Sheremeta stressed.

The Minister explained that a number of experts have estimated that signing of the economic section of the Agreement including FTA will enable Ukraine to enhance volumes of export of goods and services.

Moreover, he stressed in order to ensure success for Ukrainian goods to find their consumers in Europe, the national producers should endeavor to improve quality of goods they produce in order to promote them on the EU markets.   

“All depends on Ukrainian producers. It is entering “the high league”, I mean “the high league” has been opened for us. We were striving long to get there, it had been a long ambition, so now it gathers stadiums, it proposes high salaries, high incomes, good margin, but it is important to win and to achieve the goal one should play well enough. And I am quite convinced that with time, what is demonstrated by the experience of our neighbors and a pile of national enterprises, we will learn to play this game,” Pavlo Sheremeta believes.

At this, the Minister emphasized that aspirations of Ukraine to master EU markets doesn’t mean that the country wants to refuse other markets.

“We are ready to trade in every direction – east, west, south, north,” the head of the Ministry summed up.