The European Commission and Ukraine have finalized negotiations on renewing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement. The main principles include:
- Completive conditions – Ukraine will gradually align its production standards with EU norms, particularly in areas such as animal welfare, pesticide use, and veterinary medicines.
- A mechanism to protect the internal market – Both sides will have the right to impose temporary restrictions if imports of certain goods threaten their national markets. In the case of the EU, decisions can be made at both the EU-wide level and by individual countries.
- Expanding trade opportunities – The renewed agreement aims to increase market access, considering the interests of both parties. For some sensitive agricultural products, like sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, corn, and honey, access has been slightly increased. Conditions for other items have also been improved for mutual benefit.
The parties agreed to explore ways to support Ukrainian exports to traditional third-country markets and to review progress in economic integration, along with further prospects for Ukraine’s European integration.
Last year, trade turnover between Ukraine and the EU reached approximately €67B, up from €26B in 2016.