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Ukraine needs Lithuania's experience in effectively adapting the economy to the standards and practices of the European Union (EU) and intends to use it as much as possible while doing its own 'homework' to implement the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and prepare for the introduction of free trade with the EU on January 1, 2016. This issue was on the agenda of an enlarged meeting of the Ukrainian-Lithuanian and Lithuanian-Ukrainian business councils, which was held as part of an official visit of Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius to Ukraine.
"Lithuania strongly supports Ukrainians' efforts to implement fundamental reforms and move towards European integration, which is difficult but irreversible. Today, relations between Ukraine and Lithuania are closer than ever in the history of the independence of Ukraine. Effective business cooperation demonstrates deep trust between the entrepreneurs and people of our countries. I believe that there is no alternative to the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the introduction of free trade from the beginning of next year," Butkevicius said.
The business councils of both countries have been cooperating successfully since 2013. They have helped to implement dozens of commercial, cooperation, scientific and technical, investment, and regional business projects. More than 80 businessmen from both countries, including the top managers of leading companies, took part in the latest meeting of the councils.
"We appreciate cooperation with Lithuania not only in terms of boosting foreign trade – Ukraine also needs new technologies and investment in the modernization of domestic economy. In addition, we can use the experience of a friendly country in effective adaptation of economy to the norms and standards of the European Union, and the business councils apply these achievements in practice in order to strengthen Ukraine's status of a modern democratic European state. There is one more priceless factor – mutual trust between the business communities and people of both countries, which is a ticket to success," President of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) Anatoliy Kinakh said.
Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius in turn stressed that Lithuania is one of the ten EU countries which Ukraine has a traditionally high level of cooperation with. Goods turnover with Lithuania has increased over the last six months and investment exchange between the countries is also growing. This small country's experience of EU membership inspires Ukraine to introduce high standards of European administration.
The participants in the enlarged meeting signed a declaration on the improvement of cooperation between the ULIE, the Engineering Industries Association of Lithuania, and the Council of Directors of Enterprises, Establishments and Organizations of Kyiv, an amendment agreement between the ULIE and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, and a memorandum between the Ukrainian-Lithuanian and Lithuanian-Ukrainian business councils. The documents contain new tasks for the extension of business cooperation between Ukraine and Lithuania, deepening of European integration processes in Ukraine, and the country's approach to Europe.
The sides shared their opinions regarding further cooperation in the spheres of joint railway and intermodal transportation (including the development of the Viking Project), machine building, energy, alternative energy generation and energy saving systems, water supply and water treatment systems. The sides also discussed the development of dialogue between businesses and the governments of Ukraine and Lithuania.
The councils decided to hold a large Ukrainian-Lithuanian economic forum later this year during the Lithuanian president's official visit to Ukraine.