The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine will develop cooperation with regional businesses to greater use their export opportunities, said Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade/ Trade Representative of Ukraine Natalia Mykolska during the IX International Economic Forum "Innovations. Investments. Kharkiv Initiatives!" in Kharkiv.

"Why is cooperation with regions, regional business significant for the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine? As exports are not produced in Kyiv, exports are produced in the regions. Products and services are made in the region, main production facilities are located here," emphasized Natalia Mykolska.

According to her, Kharkiv region can boast rapid development of machine engineering, as well as a promising IT cluster, with the representatives of which was recently agreed to cooperate.

On the outcomes of 7 months of 2017, enterprises of the Kharkiv region have exported goods at $ 671 million, which exceeds by 18.3% the showings of the same period of 2016.

"As Trade Representative of Ukraine, I want to emphasize that in general export-focused industries in Ukraine raise interest of investors. And we are planning to discuss export opportunities for Kharkiv businesses to enter foreign markets, as well as prospects for attracting investment, in particular in production on the territory of Ukraine with further export abroad," stressed Natalia Mykolska.

She added that the Kharkiv region had faced enormous challenges after the Russian trade aggression, when there had been artificially destroyed chains of added value having formed over the decades. But, besides, it is very important that business is seeking other markets and opening up new opportunities, while exports to the EU, to the countries of the Asian region, Canada and the US are gradually increasing.

On the results of 7 months of 2017, the export of goods to the EU amounted to $ 9.5 billion, which is 25.9% more than over the same period of 2016.