Ukraine asks EU to extend temporary measures to liberalize trade

MOSCOW. Oct 7 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada has appealed to the European Parliament and European Council to extend temporary measures to liberalize trade until the conclusion of negotiations on Ukraine's European Union membership.

The resolution on the appeal was passed Thursday with 301 MPs voting in favour, an MP from the Holos Party, Yaroslav Zheleznyak said on his Telegram channel.

The EU is the main destination for Ukrainian exports and transit, and the elimination of EU duties and quotas on Ukrainian goods until next June has been a great support for Ukrainian manufacturers, the Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, Danil Getmantsev said on Telegram.

Ukrainian exports and transit to the EU grew 6% year-on-year to $17.88 billion in the first eight months of 2022.

The extension of the preferential conditions for Ukrainian exports until the conclusion of negotiations on joining the EU would be a powerful signal to businesses that would enable them to plan their activities and further development with greater confidence and create new jobs, Getmantsev said.

The preferential regime laid out in a European Parliament and European Council regulation dated May 30, 2022 provides for temporary measures to liberalize trade that supplement the trade concessions for Ukrainian goods granted under the country's association agreement with the EU.

Ukraine plans to be fully ready to join the EU by the end of 2024, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in August.