As previously reported on this blog, the conclusions of a trilateral ministerial meeting between EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht, Russian Economic Development Minister Aleksei Ulyukaev and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on 12 September were that the provisional application of the trade element of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (the “AA”), namely Title IV, and the related Annexes and Protocols, on trade and related matters, including the establishment of a free trade area (the “DCFTA”), would be delayed…

The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (“AA”) was ratified today (16 September 2014) by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament, according to a joint statement released by the President of the European Council and President of the European Commission. Following discussions at a trilateral ministerial meeting between the EU, Ukraine and Russia on 12 September, the European Commission plans to recommend to EU Member State that the provisional application of the trade-related provisions of the AA…

On 22 April 2014, the European Union issued a regulation (the “Regulation”) reducing or eliminating customs duties on goods originating in Ukraine (the “trade preferences”). This follows a similar announcement made by the European Commission on 11 March. The trade preferences entered into force on 23 April 2014. The Regulation has been adopted in view of the unprecedented political and economic challenges facing Ukraine and in order to support its economy. According to the European…

On Monday 14 April, the European Foreign Affairs Council adopted the European Commission’s proposal for autonomous trade measures providing tariff preferences for Ukraine. These unilateral trade measures are expected to eliminate 94.7% of current EU tariffs on imports of industrial goods from Ukraine and all EU tariffs on Ukraine’s agricultural produce exports to the EU, while reducing tariffs on certain chemicals and other products originating in Ukraine. While the regulation has yet to be published…