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On March 13, 2019, the second phase of the Agritrade project to implement Ukraine's deep and comprehensive free trade area with the EU has been successfully launched.
The project to support agricultural trade is based on two pillars:
- The direct consultation of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine (MAPE);
- as well as the indirect promotion of the private sector in its export efforts.
For political dialogue, a new international long-term expert and a national long-term workforce are working continuously on the ground. "Agritrade is our most important Project," noted MAPE’s Director General, Oleksandr Zhemoyda, at the steering group meeting. Mr. Zhemoyda underlined the importance of direct cooperation, for example on the VAT issue in the agricultural sector.
While the first phase of the project was characterised by the organisation and implementation of foreign trade-promoting measures, the focus is now on supporting local chambers, associations and other institutions. According to the team leader André Pilling, a SWOT and a GAP analysis are currently being carried out to identify suitable partners who, through the Agritrade support, should be able to carry out export trainings B2B meetings and trade fair services for small and medium-sized enterprises on their own in the long term.
The project has its office – as well as BMEL-funded COA project for organic farming – in the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, vul. Velyka Zhytomyrska 33, in Kyiv in order to maintain contacts and partnerships with the local organizations of the sector.
The latest publication of the Agritrade project, the updated version of the "Practical guide to the export of organic products to the EU", was presented by the team leader at the 3rd Organic Congress in Odessa on March 14, 2019. This guideline and all other published material by the ATU project may be downloaded here.
For further details please contact Stefanie Maak (stefanie.maak [at] afci.de).