The “one face to the customer” approach in customs would allow speeding up exports by Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers, Commercial Director of PJSC Research and Industrial Center Borschahivka chemical and pharmaceutical plant Yevhen Sova has said. “The “one face to the customer” approach is intended to significantly facilitate the customs clearing and declaration of goods. We, for our part, are actively expanding and developing exports. The plant’s products are presented in 19 countries, and the share of exports is over 12%. We understand all benefits that the initiative could bring. In particular, this would allow supplying medicines more quickly and with smaller expenses,” he told Interfax-Ukraine.
At the same time, commenting on the completion of the transition period for the introduction of the updated order of information exchange at the Ukrainian customs using the “one face to the customer” approach, Sova said that “as for any innovation at the state level, it takes time to tune the work, identify and eliminate possible inconsistencies.” “This is a natural process,” he said.
At the same time Sova said that the state should ensure the competent implementation of the “one face to the customer” approach and also provide for clear rules and instructions that will allow fully implementing the changes, monitor the quality of their implementation and guarantee the expected result, namely, to simplify the mechanism of entering foreign markets for Ukrainian products.
Six Ukrainian automobile plants produced 675 vehicles in April 2018, which is 13% less than in March 2018, the Ukrautoprom association has said. According to preliminary data, production of vehicles compared with April 2017 grew by 8.7%. Eurocar, the Skoda car manufacturer, cut production in April by 10% compared with March 2018, to 615 cars. Production grew by almost 8% year-over-year. Eurocar was the only producer of passenger cars in Ukraine in April.
Bus production fell by 13% compared with March 2018, to 54, including three buses made by ZAZ, one each by Bogdan Corporation and Chernihiv Automobile Plant of Etalon Corporation. Chasiv Yar Plant made 14 buses, and Cherkasy Bus – 35.
Only six commercial vehicles were made – one at ZAZ and five at Cherkasy Bus, while in March 2018 a total of 62 vehicles were made and in February – 80.
AutoKrAZ did not provide information on its production figures.
The association said that in January-April 2018, vehicle production grew by 32.7% year-over-year, to 2,739. Passenger car output grew by 31%, to 2,383 (all made at Eurocar), bus production – by 16%, to 255, and commercial vehicle output (without figures of AutoKrAZ) fell by 34%, to 101.
Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has recalled the importance of continuing the fight against corruption to attract foreign investment in Ukraine. If we want to create the necessary jobs, we need an economic growth of 5-6%. You need to attract foreign investors for this … To do this, you need to achieve more progress in the fight against corruption and the rule of law, he said during a round table talk titled “Ukraine’s European Choice after the Revolution of Dignity: Opportunities and Problems” in Kyiv.
The European diplomat stressed the need to establish an Anti-Corruption Court in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission.
We know that much has already been done and still needs to be done in the sphere of the rule of law. And we are currently discussing with the Ukrainian authorities the creation of an Anticorruption Court as soon as possible, which would correspond to the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the diplomat added.
Mingarelli also noted the need to harmonize the Ukrainian legislation with the European one.
According to him, the EU considers the law on the land market as important for realizing the potential of the Ukrainian agricultural sector.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the state program of cooperation with foreign Ukrainians for the period until 2020 with approximate financing of UAH 106 million. The corresponding decision was made at a government meeting in Kyiv on May 10. It says the aim of the program is to ensure the deepening of cooperation with foreign Ukrainians by increasing the effectiveness of work of the executive bodies with this category of Ukrainians and their public organizations.
The approximate amount of expenditures under this state program is UAH 106 million, in particular UAH 98 million at the expense of the national budget, UAH 7.8 million from local budgets, and UAH 200,000 from other sources.
So, in 2018 it is planned to spend UAH 33.7 million on the program, some UAH 36 million in 2019, and UAH 36.3 million in 2020.
It is expected that the implementation of this program will create conditions for consolidation of efforts of foreign Ukrainians to promote an independent, democratic and rule-of-law state in Ukraine; will confirm the positive image of Ukraine in the world; will support the European integration of the country; contribute to strengthening the cultural, informational and linguistic needs of foreign Ukrainians; will ensure the preservation and development of the Ukrainian language abroad
Head of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative Eka Tkeshelashvili has said she is convinced that without an Anti-Corruption Court the system of fighting corruption in Ukraine cannot be as effective as possible and justify all expectations. She said in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency that the Anti-Corruption Court is a key link in the fight against corruption and that the need to create it in full accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission had been repeatedly stressed by European partners.
Tkeshelashvili noted that the recommendations of the Venice Commission still remain a “stumbling block” in the drafting of a respective bill for second reading.
This is not just any wish on the part of Ukraine’s partners, this is a well-balanced vision of what elements must be included in this law so that the court could be really independent, effective and fulfill its role, she said.
Tkeshelashvili stressed that the fight against corruption was important, including to ensure security in Ukraine.
Moldova’s integration with the European Union is favored by 38% of the country’s citizens; with the Eurasian Economic Union, by 34%, according to the findings of a social survey unveiled by the Centre for Sociological Research of Moldova (CCSM) at a press conference on Friday. Another 22% said Moldova should unite with Romania, the pollster said. At the same time, more than half of respondents (54%) opposed Moldova’s accession to NATO, 24% backed the idea, and 22% were still undecided.
Asked who is Moldova’s best friend, 38% named Russia, 37% Romania, 8% Germany, 5% the United States, and 2% named Ukraine. Other countries were cited by a combined 10%.
At the top of a rating of trusted foreign leaders is Russian President Vladimir Putin (57%), followed by Romanian ex-president Traian Basescu (49%), Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko (34%), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (27%), Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili (17%), U.S. President Donald Trump (15%), Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (10%) and French President Emmanuel Macron (9%).
The survey was conducted among 750 respondents in Chisinau on April-30 – May 8. The margin of error is 3%.
