Business news from Ukraine

Ukraine attracts EUR150 mln grant from EU

Ukraine on Wednesday received EUR 150 million in non-repayable financial assistance from the EU as part of a bilateral agreement to finance the Support for Ukraine’s Early Recovery program (State Building and Resilience Contract), the Finance Ministry said.

“Grant funding will help ensure priority measures to restore critical facilities affected by Russia’s armed aggression, including transport infrastructure, utilities and services, social infrastructure and residential areas,” Minister Sergii Marchenko said in a release.

It is specified that the second tranche of EUR 100 million is expected in the first quarter of 2024. The funds will be used to finance both recovery activities and support small farms and other agricultural businesses.

The day before, Marchenko said that since the beginning of this year, Ukraine has managed to attract more than $39 billion in external financing, compared to $32.1 billion for the entire last year, and by the end of the year this amount will reach about $42.3 billion. In particular, the EU is expected to receive EUR 1.5 billion of the last tranche of macro-financial assistance this year.

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Ukraine will initiate process of assessing Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU law in coming days

In the coming days, Ukraine will officially initiate the process of assessing Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU law, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday.
“We are preparing to work on a negotiation framework for Ukraine. We expect it in the spring. The negotiation process will not be easy, but the main thing is that historically we have determined that Ukraine will always be part of our common European home,” he said.
Zelensky thanked “everyone who helps to bring the necessary European decisions closer. To everyone who has joined, to politicians, civic leaders, and the people of different countries who equally believe in us, in Ukraine and in Europe.”

EU has decided to start negotiations on accession of Ukraine and Moldova to EU

President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the European Council has decided to start negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU.

“The European Council has decided to start negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. The European Council has granted candidate status to Georgia. And the EU will start negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved, and invited the Commission to submit a report by March with a view to making such a decision,” he wrote on Twitter.

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Austrian Chancellor categorically opposes “fast-track procedure” for EU accession of Ukraine and Moldova

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer during a meeting with members of the National Council in the main committee on EU issues categorically opposed the “accelerated procedure” of Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the European Union, the press service of the Austrian parliament reports.

“Nehammer told FPO MPs Petra Steger, Christian Hafeneker and Axel Kassegger that Austria would not agree to negotiate Ukraine’s accession under the current conditions. There should not be any preferential treatment for Ukraine, especially in relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is also currently in accession negotiations,” the statement said.

He also noted that the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen did not hold consultations before announcing the prospect of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession.

Separately, Nehammer noted that in order for the EU to be “suitable” for enlargement, internal reforms must be carried out.

“In general, Austria continues to follow the EU line when it comes to solidarity with Ukraine, but without violating its neutrality,” Nehammer explained. “It is primarily about financial assistance to support Ukraine as a ‘state as a whole,'” the statement said.

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Ukrainian parliament appeals to EU to start negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to European Union

The Verkhovna Rada has appealed to the European Union member states and EU institutions to support the opening of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The relevant resolution No. 10315 was voted for by 292 MPs at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Saturday, said Oleksiy Honcharenko, a member of the European Solidarity faction.
“The Verkhovna Rada appeals to the national parliaments and governments of the European Union member states, the EU institutions and calls… to support Ukraine’s aspirations to join the European Union by adopting a decision to open negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the European Union during the European Council meeting on December 15, 2023,” the text of the appeal reads.
The MPs also called on EU members to increase military assistance to Ukraine both at the national level and within the framework of the European Peace Fund.

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EU proposes to update rules on transportation of cats and dogs

The European Commission is proposing to implement the biggest reform of EU animal welfare rules in 20 years, according to the European Commission’s website on Thursday, December 7.
“The Commission is proposing for the first time new EU rules on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats bred, kept and sold as pets for economic purposes,” the statement said.
The package includes a revision of the EU’s current rules on animals in transit, which will improve the welfare of the 1.6 billion animals transported to and from the EU each year.
The new rules will establish for the first time common EU standards for the breeding, keeping and treatment of dogs and cats in kennels, pet shops and shelters. The traceability of pets will also be strengthened through mandatory identification and registration in national databases.
Finally, the Commission proposes further steps to implement the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Europe without Fur”, which calls for an EU ban on fur farming and the sale of products containing such fur.

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