Lithuania is an old partner of Ukraine in the political, economic and cultural areas. In particular, the two countries have actively been developing their business contacts: the two largest national business organizations – the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists – regularly join efforts to hold forums, B2B meetings, education trainings for Ukrainian businesses, and exhibitions.
Ukrainian manufacturers once again had an opportunity to establish business contacts at a meeting of the Lithuanian-Ukrainian Business Council in Vilnius on September 27-30, and some of them have already signed relevant contracts. For the first time the event has been held with the participation of the Chambers of Commerce of both countries, a large number of strong enterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses.
Representatives from such sectors as aircraft construction, food industry, consulting – Antonov Enterprise, Zhytomirsky Lasoshchi confectionery, UkrVodoKanalEcologiya, and the Exporters Club – discussed prospects for cooperation with partners.
The ULIE and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists signed an additional agreement foreseeing greater efforts in priority areas – arranging workshops to prepare Ukrainian companies for entering the EU markets and engaging Ukraine’s higher education institutions in cooperation under the ERASMUS+ programme. The agreement focuses on accelerating the adaptation of Ukrainian producers to the standards of the European market and Lithuania’s assistance in their successful entry into the highest possible number of EU national markets.
During the visit, Ukrainian delegates also participated in the 25th international exhibition Baltic Fashion & Textile Vilnius. This year Ukraine has for the first time had one booth shared by 30 Ukrainian enterprises. The event was attended by Prime Minister of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevicius, Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade and Trade Representative of Ukraine Nataliya Mykolska, and ULIE President Anatoliy Kinakh.
Among the Ukrainian producers that showcased their products were Rito (knitwear), VDone (men’s clothing), Duna Vesta (hosiery), Courtage (workwear), Mira 2007 (women’s clothing), TK-Domtex (textile goods), Mida (footwear), Elig (textile goods), and others.
The ULIE and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists will soon hold the second Ukraine-Lithuania business forum in Ukraine. The first forum, hosted by Vilnius in 2015, was attended by senior officials, business associations, and hundreds of entrepreneurs.
