On October 17, the European Business Association held a conference, “Ukraine on the Road to the EU,” with the participation of business, government officials, MPs, and European diplomats. The discussion was focused on the readiness of business and the state to integrate into the European Union, discussing the tasks, challenges, and opportunities associated with our European integration aspirations.
Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, addressed the participants of the event via video link and assured them that Ukraine’s accession to the EU would be a priority for the next European Commission. Integration into the single market and harmonization of standards would open up new opportunities for economic growth and benefit both sides.
Svitlana Mykhailovska, Deputy Director of the European Business Association, emphasized the business’s commitment to the European integration course and its readiness to work under the EU market rules. In particular, Svitlana presented the results of a study on the impact of Ukraine’s European integration movement on business and the EBA White Paper containing proposals for the recovery of Ukraine’s economy and its integration into the EU single market.
Katarina Mathernova, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, emphasized the EU’s support for the Ukrainian economy in the face of a full-scale invasion. In addition to substantial budgetary support and financial assistance, the EU is implementing policies to accelerate Ukraine’s European integration. It noted Ukraine’s progress in harmonizing national legislation with EU rules and standards in some areas of the internal market (e.g., technical standards). This will not only facilitate Ukraine’s accession to the EU but can already bring tangible benefits to Ukraine, both in the context of effective economic integration (e.g., through the DCFTA) and in the form of new foreign investment.
According to Olena Shulyak, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, European integration work is a great challenge and responsibility for the Ukrainian Parliament. Since the application for EU membership was submitted, the Verkhovna Rada has registered more than 150 European integration initiatives, 55 of which have already become laws. The Ukraine Facility plan is now the European integration roadmap for the Parliament. Of course, the focus is also on recovery processes. A lot of attention is paid to communities because the Ukraine Facility also plays a part in bringing communities closer to working according to EU standards. Interaction with business, both in the context of European integration and recovery, is another important task for lawmakers because it drives and finances many processes.
According to Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine – Trade Representative of Ukraine, the further Ukraine moves toward European integration, the more complicated the process will become. Despite the apparent benefits of integration into the common market, Ukraine must also take on many obligations. The Government is currently working on a more detailed assessment of the compliance of our legislation with EU requirements. Businesses should also actively participate in these changes and develop a negotiating position, as the working conditions for Ukrainian companies may soon change significantly.
During the second panel, business representatives discussed the current state and prospects of European integration changes in the tax, customs, financial, and logistics sectors and several industries, such as dairy and subsoil use. They also discussed the benefits of European integration and how new requirements can complicate and increase business costs. The panelists agreed that businesses should actively provide feedback and develop a position so that European integration processes consider actual business processes in Ukraine.
They also discussed how Ukraine could be rebuilt according to the principles of the new European Bauhaus so that EU principles and values are incorporated not only into legislation but also into the lives of every Ukrainian. We are grateful to all the guests of the event and participants of the discussion – Olga Balytska, Andriy Borenkov, Anton Tyutyun, Maksym Barabash, Oleksandr Lazarev, Yulia Lazareva, Dmytro Kashchuk, Oleksandr Samokhvalov, and Oleksandr Ilkov, Head of the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The event was organized with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and the European Union within the framework of the joint initiative “European Renaissance of Ukraine.” The material reflects the authors’ position and does not necessarily coincide with the position of the International Renaissance Foundation and the European Union.
