Ministry of Economy presents progress on industrial policy and EU integration reforms at High-Level Dialogue in Rzeszów

On 5 June, the eighth meeting of the EU-Ukraine High-Level Dialogue on horizontal issues and specific industrial sectors took place in Rzeszów. The event was co-chaired by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy Andrii Teliupa and Maive Rute, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

“The High-Level Dialogue is a vital format for interaction between Ukraine and the EU in the field of industrial policy. It serves as a platform for systematic information exchange, alignment of reforms, and planning next steps. Such regular engagement ensures our partnership remains practical and effective,” said Andrii Teliupa.

During the event, the Ukrainian side provided the European Commission with updated information on the implementation of recommendations related to preparations for concluding the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA). Deputy Minister of Economy Vitaliy Kindrativ, speaking online, reported on the first reading adoption of draft laws on market surveillance, accreditation, and conformity assessment, their preparation for the second reading, updates to technical regulations, harmonisation of standards, and the introduction of electronic data exchange between state market surveillance systems and customs. The European Commission confirmed its readiness to start negotiations on the ACAA once all specified conditions are fully met.

“Expanding the single market for products is achieved through a range of international legal instruments, including bilateral agreements on conformity assessment and acceptance of industrial products (ACAA). The ACAA requires full alignment of the partner country’s legal frameworks with EU legislation and standards, as well as the modernisation of relevant horizontal infrastructure in line with the EU system for standardisation, accreditation, conformity assessment, metrology, and market surveillance. Thus, signing the ACAA will facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the European market, ensuring the establishment of a modern quality infrastructure system harmonised with those of EU member states,” said Deputy Minister Vitaliy Kindrativ.

The Ukrainian side also updated on the progress of public procurement reform. Draft Law No. 11520, prepared with EU recommendations, is currently undergoing technical review by EU4PFM experts. Once completed, the document will be submitted to the European Commission and then to the Verkhovna Rada for final consideration.

In the section dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Ministry of Economy representatives presented the implementation of the SME Development Strategy until 2027, coordination with international partners within the SME Resilience Alliance, and the introduction of digital services and new programmes for SMEs.

Construction issues were presented by representatives of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, while environmental matters were addressed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. The Ukrainian delegation also provided updates on the roadmap for the raw materials partnership with the EU, legislative changes, and digitalisation projects for geological data within international cooperation.

Following the event, the parties agreed on a draft of joint Conclusions, reflecting the progress achieved and specifying further steps in key areas of cooperation. These include preparations for launching an official EU evaluation mission for the ACAA, completing the technical analysis of the public procurement draft law, implementing an integrated environmental permit system, updating the critical raw materials roadmap, and coordinating efforts to support SMEs. The draft Conclusions will be finalised and approved in due course.

“For Ukraine, integration into the EU’s single economic space is not about isolated reforms but a consistent transformation across key areas. We are updating technical regulations, revising approaches to public procurement, supporting entrepreneurship, introducing new environmental tools, and aligning policies on critical raw materials. This approach not only adapts legislation but builds an economy capable of operating on European principles,” concluded Andrii Teliupa, head of the Ukrainian delegation.