KYIV. June 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine since early 2015/16 agricultural year (July 2015 – June 2016) has exported 1.637 million tonnes of wheat to the European Union (EU), Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Trade Representative of Ukraine Natalia Mykolska has wrote on her Facebook page.
“According to data from our partners in the general Directorate of the European Commission, this agricultural year started on July 1, 2015 and will last until June 30, 2016. Ukraine is the largest exporter of wheat to the EU. A total of 1.637 tonnes or 49% of total imports to the EU was shipped, and we are ahead of the United States, Canada and Russia put together,” she wrote.
She said that the Commission Implementing Regulation(EU) 2016/876 was published in official Journal. The coefficients will be applied to the quantities covered by the applications for Ukrainian wheat import licenses.
She said that this means that Ukraine has used its quota for exports of wheat to the EU in the amount of 950,000 tonnes.
“It is very important that this does not mean that our grain exports to the EU halts. Supplies will continue as part of the global EU grain quota and beyond the quotas,” she wrote.
KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Airbus (France), one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, jointly with the State Aviation Service of Ukraine plan to organize a training platform for aviation specialists in Kyiv.
According to the service, the initiative was discussed on May 27 during a meeting with the regional director for flight safety at Airbus, Yuriy Chekanov. The parties discussed support for the safe operation of Airbus aircraft in Ukraine, conducting conferences, seminars, training and other events for state inspectors and operators.
Chekanov, in particular, said Airbus plans to take part in national courses for internal investigation into operational events on the basis of the ICAO European regional training center for training of state inspectors for flight safety and airworthiness. State Aviation Service representatives proposed expanding the list of trainings to further establish a regional training platform in Kyiv for aviation specialists from Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Baltic countries.
KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – State enterprise Ukrposhta hopes within three or four months to launch a pilot project to deliver parcels using drones.
An Interfax-Ukraine journalist has reported that acting head of Ukrposhta Ihor Tkachuk gave the information during tests of this delivery in Bucha (Kyiv region) on Wednesday.
“Amendments to postal legislation, cooperation with the State Aviation Service are required, as well as serious work is to be done. Ukrposhta should change for the needs of clients,” he said.
Israeli Flytrex drones were selected for tests. They can deliver parcels weighing up to three kilograms for distances of up to 23 kilometers. Their speed is up to 70 kilometers per hour.
Tkachuk said that the cost of one drone varies depending on its capabilities from $3,000 to $50,000. The financing of their purchase would be discussed: leasing, borrowing and other tools.
Demand for this quick delivery would be studied, he said.
“The cost of delivery by a drone cannot exceed the approved tariffs for speedy delivery. The mobile application for this delivery would be free of charge,” he added.
The founder and CEO of Flytrex Yariv Bash who was present during the tests said that drones are controlled using cloud solutions in the encoded format.
Asked how parcels can be delivered to the consumer who lives in a multi-apartment building in a city, he said that the preliminary agreed sites would be selected at the first phase of the introduction of the technology, for example, corners of the streets, near houses.
“If demand grows, the post office jointly with municipal agencies would be able to expand the number of sites for delivery,” Bash said.
He added that one postal drone can make 300 deliveries a month. He said that if the drone is seized, it would not be possible to use it in other purposes, as it can be disconnected from the control center.
“When a drone takes off it knows where to fly. There is no communication with it. The drone is controlled from the Flytrex center, not using the control boards,” Bash said.
Persons have access only to the parcel that would be landed using a rope. The drone does not land the site. If a client wants to seize the rope, the drone would let it go with the parcel.
KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The permanent commission of Kyiv City Council for budget, social and economic development has ordered a working group for operation of municipal markets within one month to draw up the projections for the transfer of the markets to management by private companies.
The press service of Kyiv Council’s faction Petro Poroshenko Bloc-Solidarity reported on Wednesday municipal enterprises Zhytniy Rynok (market), Besarabsky Rynok and Volodymyrsky Rynok could be leased to private companies.
“Profits of municipal markets, such as Zhytniy Rynok, Besarabsky Rynok and Volodymyrsky Rynok are less than they could be. It would be more effective to lease them to private operators selected at tenders,” Secretary of the budget commission Heorhiy Yasynsky said.
The markets could be leased on conditions of their overhaul, retaining its functions and historic look.
KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The ProZorro procurement system in 14 months of its operation allowed saving UAH 1.5 billion for the state, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development and Trade Minister Stepan Kubiv said at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
“The public procurement reform and the launch of ProZorro allowed saving UAH 1.5 billion in 14 months of its operation. Over 100,000 tenders from 5,800 buyers were held,” he said, adding that in 2016 public agencies would fully switch to electronic procurement.
Kubiv urged state administration to use the electronic procurement system irrespective of the sum of the tender.
Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Maksym Nefyodov said that UAH 5 billion could be saved this year from the operation of the ProZorro system and next year the figure could grow to UAH 50 billion.
The ProZorro was launched in February 2015 in the pilot mode. In April 2016, the first stage of introducing the electronic public procurement system was started and from August 1, 2016 the use of the electronic system would be obligatory for public agencies.
KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will create the national agency for intellectual property as a public organization on the basis of State enterprise Ukrainian Intellectual Property Institute (Ukrpatent) and the State Service of Intellectual Property. The new agency will be subordinated to the Economic Development and Trade Ministry.
“It aims at introducing the two-level intellectual property protection system via the creation of the national agency for intellectual property,” First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv said, presenting the concept for reforming the intellectual property system in the country at a government meeting.
He said that Ukrpatent will be reorganized and the State Service of Intellectual Property will be liquidated.
Kubiv said that the current public management system is inefficient and has failed to develop international partnerships. International partners, in particular, the United States and the European Union, have expressed their views about the state of intellectual property rights protection in Ukraine.
The minister said that the national agency will be financed using fees collected for action linked to intellectual property protection. This is the practice of global patent offices.
He said that the new agency will use the ‘one face to the customer’ approach in issuing intellectual property protection documents. This meets the European practice.
Kubiv added that the concept foresees the reorganization of the collective copyrights management system, improvement of national legislation and its harmonization with EU requirements.
He said that the concept caused large resistance, and it will be a long way to pass on the reformation of this public agency. The Education Ministry, famous Ukrainian and international experts and technical assistance will be used to reform it.
Kubiv did not specify the terms of the creation of the new agency. It is mentioned in the government’s brief on top priorities delivered in May, with completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2016.
