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The European Union is not only a political and economic partner of Ukraine – close ties with the EU stipulated in the Association Agreement are also both a source and impetus to the transformation of the country, the acceleration of qualitative reforms in it. Presently, the EU accounts for 40% of our country's foreign trade, its share of investment in Ukraine is significant.
However, the potential of this partnership is not used to the full extent. Many good initiatives and opportunities remain only declarations. And it is Ukraine that should be interested in their practical implementation most of all.
This was announced by President of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Anatoliy Kinakh during panel discussions titled "International Cooperation: Ukraine-Europe" at the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF).
"While politicians, diplomats conclude agreements on some issues, businesses both in Ukraine and in the EU continue interaction. And the results are good: the largest business association in Europe – BusinessEurope, which incorporates business associations from 40 countries, has become our partner. Ukrainian interests in Brussels are lobbied by Ukrainian entrepreneurs' representative office, which was opened by the ULIE. Contacts with the European Parliament, the European Commission, and business structures are handled through it. And do you know what we hear there? – 'We are ready to cooperate in the economic sphere much more efficiently, but Ukrainians must present a convincing program of cooperation in required areas,'" he said.
The ULIE believes that it is systematic, program-backed cooperation with European and other international partners that could be conducive to a considerable acceleration in the modernization of Ukraine's economy, the upgrading of production facilities, their adaptation to international standards and technical regulations.
"It is wrong to say that someone is waiting for us somewhere. The rules of competition work everywhere in the same way; and it is natural when they are fair, transparent, and correspond to generally accepted principles. Both Ukraine and its entrepreneurs should be prepared for this. This means that their 'homework' should be done along with the effective use of partners' assistance to develop and offer high-quality, competitive products," Anatoliy Kinakh said.
The leader of the business community believes that Ukraine should more actively develop the IT sector, to create technological and industrial parks, using innovative technologies. The ULIE has been preparing grounds for the implementation of this idea in partnership with national industrial and business organizations. Only in recent months, a series of business forums have been held in Italy, Austria, and Lithuania. What is more, agreements with business organizations from Turkey, Italy, Canada, and Serbia have been signed.
"There are opportunities, and their number is great. Ukraine should create reasonable rules of the game for our partners and investors, and Ukrainian businesses will thus receive funds for own modernization and enhancement of competitiveness. Further, it will be conducive to a considerable increase in exports, as Ukraine is an export-oriented country: export-oriented goods account for over 50% of GDP," the leader of the business community said.
Ukraine's capital has hosted the Kyiv International Economic Forum, which was co-organized by the ULIE. Traditionally, this event gathered well-known Ukrainian and international economists, top managers from large corporations, companies, as well as industrialists, and small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs. The Forum was opened by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. In total, over 400 attendees visited the Forum this year, among them were General Director of the Directorate-General of the European Commission for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations Christian Danielsson, Ukrainian Minister for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv, Chairman of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on industrial policy Viktor Halasyuk, ULIE President Anatoliy Kinakh, and well-known Norwegian economist Erik Steenfeldt Reinert.
The KIEF's main goal is to develop a strategy for reforming Ukraine's economy based on new approaches to education, science and development of priority sectors and "points of growth," by consolidating representatives of businesses, the government and the expert community.
In addition, the Forum is a platform for holding business meetings and negotiations in the B2B format and signing new contracts. In particular, the ULIE strengthened its cooperation with the Turkish-Ukrainian Business Council, having signed a respective memorandum in the KIEF's framework.