Oleksiy Lyubchenko: Ukraine stands ready to deepen trade relations with the EU
Ukraine advocates deepening of trade relations with the EU. The tools for that can be the signing of an agreement on an industrial free visa regime, revision of sales duties, mutual opening of the public procurement market. This was stated by First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy of Ukraine Oleksiy Lyubchenko.
"The European Union is our serious trading partner with a share of trade in goods and services over 40% of the total volume. At present, almost 300 companies have already received the status of authorized exporter and can export to the EU without a EUR.1 certificate. The number of enterprises producing products of animal origin, the conditions of production of which meet EU requirements, has also increased to almost 400. We express readiness to start a dialogue as soon as possible to accelerate and expand the scope of the abolition of import duties in trade in accordance with Article 29 of the Association Agreement," Oleksiy Lyubchenko commented.
Moreover, according to Oleksiy Lyubchenko, Ukraine expects to finalize formal negotiations on signing the ACAA (Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products) or the so-called industrial free visa regime in 2022 based on the results of the assessment mission.
In addition, Ukraine has reformed the public procurement sector and fulfilled all the obligations under the reform phases, which are conditions for official recognition by the EU and further mutual opening of public procurement markets.
"We are working with European partners on an ongoing basis within the WTO, primarily through the coordination of joint efforts in the bodies of the Organization and in the shape of joint co-authorship of a number of initiatives and documents. We support the EU in addressing and resolving systemic trade issues of mutual trade interest. In particular, initiatives to develop universal rules on e-commerce and disciplines of internal regulation in the field of services," said the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.