Business news from Ukraine

Mer Klitschko: Kyiv and Barcelona signed an agreement on twinning

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko and Mayor of Barcelona Ada Kolou have signed an agreement on twinning between the cities, the press service of the mayor of the capital of Ukraine reports.
“Today, cooperation at the city level is very important, because it is cities that play a key role in the development of states and deepening cooperation between them. The capital of Ukraine develops cooperation with European cities. Attracts help from partners, convinces them of the need for further support for Ukraine. We must be strong Together! Ukraine’s victory in the war against the Russian barbarians is a guarantee of peace and tranquility throughout Europe. We are grateful to our friends who help. Barcelona gave Ukraine fire trucks, humanitarian aid, and provided temporary shelter to Ukrainians fleeing the war,” Klitschko said.
Kolow, in turn, stressed that Barcelona will continue to help and support Kyiv and Ukraine. In particular, the mayors also discussed cooperation in the field of public transport, ecology, smart city and culture.
It is noted that Barcelona has become the seventh European city with which Kyiv has signed twinning since the beginning of the large-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. In particular, Madrid, Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Oslo and Hamburg also became twin cities of the Ukrainian capital. In total, the capital of Ukraine has 63 sister cities.

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UK and Ukraine planning to conclude digital economy agreement

Ukraine and the UK are planning to conclude an agreement on digital trade, which will remove barriers to trade and provide support to Ukrainian businesses, the UK has previously concluded such an agreement only with Singapore, the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Digital Transformation report.
The Ministry of Economy in a press release on Wednesday clarified that the day before, First Deputy Prime Minister, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov discussed this document – Digital Economy Agreement – with Secretary of State for International Trade of Great Britain Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
“The Digital Economy Agreement is a new type of trade agreement that will open up new opportunities for Ukrainian and British businesses through the use of modern technologies that will reduce bureaucratic procedures and promote the use of electronic payments, digital signatures and electronic contracts,” Svyrydenko said.
According to the release of the Ministry of Economy, the agreements involve the creation of digital infrastructure to level restrictions on cross-border data transfer, the opening of a single window for traders and government agencies, the growth of trade in services, proper protection of personal data and improved access to public resources.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation added that among the main areas of cooperation were financial technologies and payment systems, open digital markets and technical cooperation.
The Ministry of Economy clarified that the agreement on digital trade would supplement the agreement on political cooperation, free trade and strategic partnership between Ukraine and the UK, concluded on October 8, 2020.

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EU AND UKRAINE WILL SIGN AGREEMENT ON “TRANSPORT VISA-FREE”

A special agreement on transport liberalization between Ukraine and the European Union will be signed on Wednesday in Lyon, France, as part of the European Commission’s Transport Directorate’s “Connecting Europe Days 2022” meeting, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Mustafa Nayem said.
“On June 29, Ukraine will finally receive “transport visa-free” with the countries of the European Union,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Nayem stressed that this event is of great importance for Ukrainian carriers.
“Taking into account the almost five-fold increase in road transport, already in September of this year, due to a lack of auto permits, the export of Ukrainian goods could stop at least in the direction of two neighboring countries. This is hundreds of millions of dollars of losses every month; and more than a billion at the end of the year,” the Deputy Minister gave an example .
According to him, this agreement will also help European consumers to reduce the shortage and increase in prices for Ukrainian goods, as well as many European companies whose offices and production bases continue to operate in Ukraine.

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BALTIC STATES AND POLAND SIGN AGREEMENT WITH UKRAINE ON STRENGTHENING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

The Ministers of Internal Affairs of the Baltic States and Poland visited Ukraine, where they signed a multilateral agreement on cooperation in preventing cross-border crime and restoring the sphere of activity of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine after the end of hostilities.
Estonian Interior Minister Kristian Jaani said that his country will continue to fully support Ukraine, the press service of the Estonian Interior Ministry said on Friday. This applies to both direct political and practical support for Ukraine, including humanitarian support, as well as post-war reconstruction, the imposition of tough sanctions against Russia, Jaani said.
He said that Estonia would fully support granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union.
The minister noted that the total contribution of Estonian humanitarian aid is more than EUR16 million, including support for civil society and the private sector.
Marine rescue and sapper suits, folding beds, tents, generators, VoIP phones and much more have been sent to Ukraine through the Interior Ministry of Ukraine.
“At 48 hours’ notice, we are ready to send sappers,” Jaani said.

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UKRAINE RATIFIES OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT WITH EUROPEAN UNION

On February 17, 2022, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law on ratification of the agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on the Common Aviation Area.
Some 311 deputies voted for the ratification of the agreement on Thursday.
The purpose of the agreement is the gradual creation of a Common Aviation Area between Ukraine and the EU and its Member States, based, in particular, on identical rules in the field of flight safety, aviation security, air traffic management, environmental protection, consumer protection, computer reservation systems, as well as on identical rules regarding social aspects.
To this end, the agreement establishes mandatory rules, technical requirements, administrative procedures, basic operational standards and implementation standards applied between the parties.
Common Aviation Area operates on the basis of free access to the air transportation market and on equal terms of competition.
Ukraine is taking the necessary measures to incorporate into the legal system of Ukraine and implement the requirements and standards of the acts of the European Union.
The parties cooperate, among other things, in order to achieve convergence of certification systems in the areas of primary certification and maintaining airworthiness.
Upon request, the Parties shall provide each other with all necessary assistance to prevent acts of illegal seizure of civil aircraft and other illegal acts directed against the safety of such aircraft, their passengers and crew, airports and air navigation facilities, as well as any other threat to the safety of civil aviation.
The Parties recognize the importance of environmental protection in the development and implementation of aviation policy.
As reported, on October 12, 2021, Ukraine and the European Union signed the Common Aviation Area Agreement. On June 28, 2021, the EU Council approved the signing of the Common Aviation Area Agreement with Ukraine, as well as with three other countries – Armenia, Tunisia and Qatar.
The process of harmonization of the Ukrainian aviation space with the EU was started in 1999. On December 12, 2006, the EU Council authorized the European Commission to start relevant negotiations with Ukraine. In October 2013, the text of the Agreement was agreed upon by the parties, but due to foreign policy conditions, its signing was postponed indefinitely.

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DTEK WILL BUY 60,000 TONNES IN USA

DTEK has reached an agreement with the international company HC Trading (Heidelberg Cement Group) on the additional supply of one shipload of 60,000 tonnes of American coal to Ukraine in addition to the two shiploads already contracted on September 16 with a total volume of 150,000 tonnes, DTEK Energy said on Facebook.
“Despite the fact that the whole world faced an acute shortage and record prices for energy resources, DTEK Energy, as a reliable and responsible company, does everything possible to ensure that there is enough coal in Ukraine in winter,” CEO of DTEK Energy Ildar Saleev said.
It is expected that an additional supply of 60,000 tonnes of coal will arrive in Ukraine in November. In turn, the previously contracted coal from the United States in the amount of 150,000 tonnes should be delivered to Ukraine in two shiploads in December 2021 and January 2022.
DTEK Energy and PJSC Centrenergo in August also agreed to supply 75,000 tonnes of steam coal from the United States, which they will divide equally upon arrival. The supply of American coal from Hamilton mine US will be carried out through the international trader Trafigura.
“In addition, for the third month in a row, the company has been importing coal from Poland (two agreements have been signed for the supply of a total of 340,000 tonnes of coal), as well as Kazakhstan,” DTEK Energy said.
In total, as of October 21 and during September-October, the company imported more than 278,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine.

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