Business news from Ukraine

UKRAINE INCREASES ELECTRICITY EXPORTS BY 3.6% IN NINE MONTHS

KYIV. Oct 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine in January-September 2016 increased exports of electricity by 3.6% (by 97.4 million kWh) compared to the same period in 2015, to 2.834 billion kWh, a source in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry has told Interfax-Ukraine.

Electricity supplies from the Burshtyn TPP energy island in the direction of Hungary, Slovakia and Romania in the period decreased by 22.4% (by 601.9 million kWh) compared to January-September 2015, to 2.081 billion kWh.

Electricity supplies to Poland amounted to 749.2 million kWh against 39.4 million kWh in January-September 2015.

In January-September 2016, 3.7 million kWh was delivered to Moldova, Belarus did not received power against 600,000 kWh for the first nine months of last year.

Ukrainian electricity was not exported to Russia in January-September 2016.

In September 2016 exports of Ukrainian electricity amounted to 224.6 million kWh, which is 14% up than in September 2015.

In January-September 2016 Ukraine imported 57.744 million kWh of electricity, including 3.3 million kWh from Russia and 47,000 kWh from Moldova in August.

 

KYIV CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE UAH 200 MLN FOR EUROVISION 2017

KYIV. Oct 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Kyiv City Council will allocate UAH 200 million from the city budget to improve infrastructure and create a positive image of Kyiv for holding the Eurovision 2017 song contest.

Some 89 deputies voted for appropriate changes to the city targeted program “Capital Culture 2016-2018.”

According to the press service of Kyiv City Council, it is planned in the current year to allocate and use UAH 50 million, the remaining UAH 150 million in 2017.

“The funds will be spent on improving infrastructure and creating a positive image of Kyiv. This is our advertisement at the international level, and we must be ready to accept about 20,000 foreign tourists,” Kyiv City Council deputy Hanna Starostenko said.

As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting on October 26 lifted restrictions on spending on preparations for the Eurovision 2017 international song contest in Kyiv.

GROYSMAN CALLS ON FRENCH BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN UKRAINE

KYIV. Oct 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during a meeting with French business representatives has urged the businessmen to invest in Ukraine.

“Invest in Ukraine, earn profit, reinvest it and be successful, while we will do our best to promote this,” Groysman said at the opening of the French-Ukrainian business forum in Paris.

The premier said the priority fields for investment are energy, machine building, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, IT, wood processing, light industry and infrastructure.

He said government has established an ongoing dialogue with businessmen to understand its daily issues and respond to emerging difficulties.

“Volodymyr Groysman said economic growth is renewing in Ukraine. According to him, international trade in the country has risen by 25%,” the report reads.

NATIONAL REFORMS COUNCIL BACKS IDEA OF INTRODUCING TAX ON REMOVED CAPITAL – ULIE

KYIV. Oct 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s National Reforms Council has backed the initiative of some business organizations regarding the introduction of tax on removed capital from January 1, 2018.

The press service of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE), Head of the parliamentary committee for tax and customs policy Nina Yuzhanina said that a requirement that Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers takes liabilities to introduce tax on removed capital instead of profit tax from 2018 is to appear in the transition clauses to the draft Tax Code.

She said that the decision was supported by the president and some lawmakers. The proposal will be handed to the government for approval and then to parliament.

ULIE said that the requirement was initiated by many business associations.

“The business society is convinced: this would help to avoid double-entry bookkeeping, discrediting in taxes, provide equal protection of businessmen by the law and a chance of investing using own capital. The main idea is that not only the funds that are removed from business are taxed: payment of dividends at 15% and others. The funds that are reinvested into business and profit that is left in companies’ working capital are not taxed,” ULIE said.

National Reforms Council approved draft amendments to the Tax Code drawn up by the Finance Ministry jointly with public experts. The amendments foresee the introduction of the single register on VAT refunds, revision of e-administration system and other things. The document is to be approved at a government meeting and submitted to parliament.

UKRAINIAN AIRLINES SEE 26.7% RISE IN PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION IN JAN-SEPT

KYIV. Oct 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian airlines saw a 26.7% rise in passenger transportation in January-September 2016 year-over-year, to 6.195 million people.

According to information from the State Aviation Service of Ukraine posted on its website, 29 Ukrainian airlines that serviced 59,000 commercial flights operated on the passenger and cargo transportation market in January-September 2016.

Some 19 Ukrainian airlines were involved in passenger transportation last year. The leaders are Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), Azur Air Ukraine, Wind Rose, Yanair and Atlasjet Ukraine (the Atlasglobal trademark). Their share of total transportation was 93% over the period under review.

The upward pace recorded in the period is linked to boosting transportation volumes by UIA by 22.6%. Yanair saw a 9.2-fold rise in passenger transportation, Wind Rose – a 44.1% rise and Azur Air Ukraine – a 13% rise.

Bravo airline and Anda Air started passenger transportation in April 2016.

Ten Ukrainian airlines serviced regular flights between Ukraine and 40 countries in January-September 2016 and 28 foreign airlines to 25 countries, including two new airlines (Sprint Air from Poland Air Serbia).

Ukrainian airlines carried 3.651 million people and this was 17.6% up year-over-year, while foreign airlines carried 2.872 million people (1.5% down).

Four Ukrainian airlines serviced domestic regular flights between eight Ukrainian cities. They carried 581,300 passengers (29.1% up).

A total of 18 Ukrainian airlines transported cargo and mail over the period. Antonov State Enterprise, UIA, ZetAvia, Maximus Airlines, Europe Air and Urga carried out almost 82% of total cargo transportation. Most of cargo was transported by charter flights in other states as part of UN humanitarian and peace-making programs and under contracts with other customers.

Some 19 Ukrainian airports serviced commercial flights of Ukrainian and foreign airlines in January-September 2016. The number of aircraft serviced over the period reached 98,600.

Passenger flow through Ukrainian airports grew by 16.8%, to 9.652 million people, and cargo flow – by 22.7%, to 29,700 tonnes.

Passenger flow through the main airport of Ukraine – Boryspil – rose by 15.8% in January-September 2016.

The Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE) serviced 163,600 flights. The number of flights performed by Ukrainian airlines’ aircraft and helicopters grew by 13.7% and by foreign airlines – decreased by 22.7%.

VINNYTSIA DAIRY PLANT ROSHEN STARTS EXPORTS TO EU

KYIV. Oct 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Vinnytsia dairy plant Roshen, part of Roshen Corporation, in September sent first batches of its products to the European Union (EU).

Roshen Corporation said in a press release that one of the international traders based in Germany bought the products. In October the plant shipped milk powder and butter to the EU to two buyers. By the end of the year the plant intends to supply around 1,000 tonnes of products within the quota.

“We have passed many audits conducted by the buyers before signing the contract to supply goods to Europe. Their teams of auditors and technical specialists visited our plant to make sure that we observe all quality standards, our employees are professional and our production is of high technology,” Plant Director Dmytro Roschupkin said.

He said that before the start of supplies to the EU the plant signed some deals with these traders on other markets.

“It is difficult to enter the European market. There are rules and restrictions that hinder the access for new traders. They aim at protecting European producers. We have managed to convince our partners in the seriousness of our goals and that we are able to observe all the requirements of the European standards, regulations and directives,” he said.

Interfood B.V. Commercial Manager Filip Gerfen said that the products made by Vinnytsia dairy plant Roshen have the same quality as the products made at leading European enterprises.

“Dairy plant Roshen surprised our specialists not only by modern equipment and workshops, but the staff… We plant to develop our cooperation with Roshen next year,” he said.