Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has passed at first reading two bills designed to adapt a number of legislative acts dealing with intellectual property rights to European legislation. An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported that the parliamentarians, in particular, passed the bill amending some legislative acts on improving the legal protection of geographical indications No. 6023, which 226 deputies supported at first reading.
According to the explanatory note to the bill, its adoption is required for “fulfilling Ukraine’s commitments in the field of European integration.” The document proposes that the Economic, Civil Codes of Ukraine, the law on protection of rights to identify the origin of goods, the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on national duty are amended.
In the opinion of the authors of the bill, its adoption will ensure the achievement of the European level of protection of intellectual property rights, the fulfillment of the obligations taken by Ukraine in accordance with the Association Agreement, the implementation of Association Agreement’s provisions into national legislation, the adaptation of national legislative acts to the law of the European Union, the improvement of legal regulation of relations in the field of intellectual property for the protection of rights to geographical indications.
In particular, the bill clarifies the definitions of some terms (“geographical indication”, “name of the place of conforming goods”‘ and other terms); determines the conditions for granting the legal protection of identical geographical indications and the grounds for refusing to grant this protection.
The bill proposes that corresponding changes to the Civil Code and the law on protection of rights to the topography of integrated circuits is made. The adoption of this bill will ensure the achievement of the European level of protection of intellectual property rights, the fulfillment of obligations assumed by Ukraine in accordance with the Association Agreement, the implementation of Association Agreement’s provisions in national legislation and other things. “The Rada has adopted at first reading bill No. 6023 on the protection of geographical indications, and now we will be able to protect “Nizhyn cucumbers” or “Myrhorodska” just like the French protect their brands “cognac” or “champagne,” the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said on Twitter.
Trade between Ukraine and Austria grew by 18.5% in 2017, to $1.2 billion, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.
“We have currently deepened the bilateral dialogue between Ukraine and Austria. In 2017, trade turnover between our countries grew by 18.5%, reaching $1.2 billion, and Ukrainian exports to Austria rose by 48%,” he said at a joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Poroshenko said that an attractive investment climate was his priority as head of state.
“I am convinced that the opening of today’s Ukrainian-Austrian business forum will open the door for many common and mutually beneficial business projects,” he said.
The Ukrainian businessman, the owner of DCH Group, Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, who previously reconstructed Kharkiv International Airport, will update the international airport in Dnipro.
Such information was confirmed by Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov.
“Yes, indeed, I’m doing this. Yes there will be new airport,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
In addition, a source close to the talks told Interfax-Ukraine that negotiations on participation in the renovation of the airport were also held with businessman Ihor Kolomoisky. The latter is the co-owner of Privat Financial and Industrial Group, which owns Galtera, to which in 2009 the State Property Fund sold 94.572% in Dniproavia, which manages Dnipro airport.
Filatov, among other things, said that the implementation of the project will be controlled by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
DCH Group for the 20 years of work in Ukraine has developed various investment projects, including UkrSibbank, sold to the international group BNP Paribas, Cherkasy Azot, Kyivstar, the preparation of the Kharkiv infrastructure for Euro 2012. The current priority areas of the business group are finance, construction materials production, construction, development, hotel business. The structure of DCH’s assets is represented, in particular, by Kharkiv International Airport, Kharkiv Palace Hotel, and the Karavan trade and entertainment center network.
The Polish oil and gas company PGNiG intends to expand its presence in the Ukrainian market.
The company said this in the semi-annual report posted on the website of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
“One of the strategic objectives of the group is to further expand its activities in the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. PGNiG Group will continue its efforts aimed at strengthening its presence in Ukraine, one of the most promising markets in the region,” the document says.
As reported, PGNiG has been selling gas to Ukrainian consumers since August 2016.
PGNiG is the largest oil and gas company in Poland, engaged in the development of gas and oil fields, extraction, storage and transportation of energy resources, as well as construction and development of oil and gas transport network, and export and import of gas.
Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen notes the high interest of Austrian investors to Ukraine and underscores the need to strengthen the fight against corruption.
“We know that some further reforms are needed to take full advantage of the Association Agreement, for example, further efforts are needed in the fight against corruption,” Alexander Van der Bellen said at a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Wednesday.
He also added that Austria is interested in Ukraine developing in the economic sphere.
Alexander Van der Bellen noted that Austria is one of the largest investors in Ukraine.
“Austrian investors provided jobs for more than 30,000 employees in Ukraine … We found out that there is a very great interest of Austrian entrepreneurs in Ukraine, which is due to the fact that Ukraine’s economic performance has significantly improved over the past two years,” the Austrian president said.
China Harbour Engineering Сompany Ltd. won an auction to carry out dredging at the Chornomorsk seaport (Odesa region) held on March 14 in the ProZorro e-procurement system. The company won two lots. The press service of the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority reported that the first lot included dredging in the approaching canal and the second – dredging in the operation area of first boot basin of Sukhy estuary.
China Harbour Engineering Сompany offered UAH 87.149 million (VAT not included) for the first lot and UAH 316.999 million (VAT not included) for the second lot, which were the best offers for each lot.
The Ukrainian Sea Port Authority saves UAH 4.62 million (VAT not included) for the first lot and UAH 36.033 million (VAT not included) for the second lot.
“Thanks to the high competition between the companies during the auction, it was possible to get the most attractive price and in general save more than UAH 40 million. As China Harbor Engineering Company has already proved to be a reliable contractor for the dredging project in the port of Yuzhny, we are counting on the same qualitative and responsible approach to the dredging project at the port of Chornomorsk,” Head of the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority Raivis Veckagans said.
The final results of the tender will be announced in the ProZorro system after studying the proposal of the winner for compliance with the terms of the tender documentation.
