Free Trade Agreement Will Open Canadian Market for Ukrainian Agricultural Manufacturers

The negotiations on creation of a free trade zone between Ukraine and Canada ended with signing of a document. The free trade agreement provides for favorable conditions for Ukrainian agricultural manufacturers.

Since the Agreement comes into force, the Canadian market would be open for 98% of Ukrainian products, and, in turn, Ukraine will liberalize the market for 80% of Canadian products.

“The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has participated in the bilateral talks with the Canadian side to expand cooperation in the field of agriculture. The domestic agrarian sector will gain significant advantages due to cancelled import duties in Canada on the majority of agricultural products,” Oleksiy Pavlenko, the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, stated.

Roman Vashchuk, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine,  confirms the importance of the Free Trade Agreement for the development of agricultural sector of Ukraine: “This treaty will cancel customs duties for 99.9% of Ukrainian agricultural exports to Canada, including duty-free import of sunflower oil, beverages, canned fruits and vegetables”.

Vladyslava Rutytska, the Deputy Minister for European Integration, welcomed the outcome of the negotiation process for the domestic agricultural sector. “As regards the access of agricultural products to the Canadian market, Ukrainian exporters have received the opportunity to supply the vast majority of agricultural goods at a zero rate of import duty, especially of products with high added value. These products include confectionery, canned and fabricated vegetables, butter, juices, alcoholic beverages and fish products.

In addition, rates of import duty in the framework of the global quota of Canada will be cancelled immediately after the Agreement becomes effective and will be set at “zero level”, the Deputy Minister noted.

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