The French business attaches positive value to the Ukrainian reforms and demonstrates a strong interest in expanding cooperation with Ukraine and new investment projects, thereby strengthening the foundation of bilateral relations between Ukraine and France and promoting our country’s further advancement towards membership in the European Union.

These are key signals voiced by French partners during a visit of Dmytro Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, to France on December 16-17.

During the visit, he had a working dinner with owners of key businesses of France such as Air Liquide, Airbus Group, Alstom, Jeantet, OCEA Shipbuilding and Industries, RTE, TOTAL, Verallia, Vinci Concessions, EGIS and others.

The Deputy Prime Minister also participated in the 2019 Ukrainian Meetings Conference, organized by Business France, and addresses representatives of the French small and medium-sized businesses with a welcoming statement. Dmytro Kuleba told about practical steps taken by the new Government to restart all anti-corruption institutions, to reform the customs, to support small and medium-sized businesses, and introduce European certification standards on the way to signing the ACAA (Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products) with the European Union.

“Ukraine has restarted its anti-corruption infrastructure to hold corrupt officials accountable. We are also clearing the legislation of the norms that enabled corruption. We are engaged in creating markets where they never existed and establishing fair rules in those existing markets which never worked properly,” told the Deputy Prime Minister, addressing the participants.

In the political segment of the visit to Paris, Dmytro Kuleba met with high-ranking officials: Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of State for European Affairs of the French Foreign Ministry, the Strategic Affairs Adviser to the President of France Etienne de Gonneville and Europe and G20 Adviser to the President of France Clément Beaune, Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum Dolphin O, Chairman of the France-Ukraine Friendship Group in the Senate of France, Senator Hervé Maurey, Chairman of the France-Ukraine Friendship Group at the National Assembly of France Valéria Faure-Muntian.

Among the issues raised during the meetings, in particular, were topical issues of the Ukrainian-French agenda, prospects for further sectoral integration of Ukraine with the EU, in particular, into the digital and energy markets, relations between our country and the NATO. The Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine emphasized the importance of further developing trade with the EU, attracting investment and Ukraine's desire to conclude an ACAA (an industrial free visa regime) with the European Union.

During a meeting with the Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum Dolphin O, Dmytro Kuleba handed over a letter about Ukraine's intention to join the Biarritz Partnership for Gender Equality. Ukraine is committed to improving its legislative and policy framework in several areas. In particular, in 2020, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is planning to introduce a systematic approach to gender education, by adopting the Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination in Education "Education: Gender Dimension - 2030".

The parties also discussed Ukraine's possible participation in the UN Generation Equality Forum slated to be held in Paris in July 2020. "We are now exploring possible formats for participation in the forum," Dmytro Kuleba said.