EBA Meeting with the Head of Odesa Regional State Administration

28/ 02/ 2017

This was the first ever meeting of the newly appointed Governor with regional strategic investors. The event gathered more than 60 CEOs of key Odesa businesses, which are EBA Southern Ukrainian Office members. We gathered participants representing the region’s main industries and economic sectors: cross-border transport and trade, logistics and container terminals operators, shipping agents and grain traders, importers and producers of wine, oil, coffee and concrete, as well as financial, legal and banking sector. “Transparent and legal business should be put on a pedestal” - highlighted Mr. Stepanov. During the meeting, common goals and objectives of the private sector and the State were identified. Among them: establishment of an Initiative Group under the Odesa Regional Administration that would consist of EBA members, formation of a new mechanism of the Administration’s management and creation of a single office for improvement of communication with investors, weight control continuation, completion of repair of the Odesa-Reni highway, promotion of alternative energy sources, etc. Investors eagerly voiced the main concerns affecting their activities, namely the over-intervention of law enforcement bodies into customs procedures and the single window trade facilitation system and its practical shortcomings. We brought the attention of the Head to the important issue of communication between Odesa Regional State Administration, regional and city council as well as pointed out the necessity to implement a comprehensive approach to infrastructure management and the land cadaster. We thank Maksym Stepanov for his proactive and constructive approach in communication with the business community and we hope our relationship will continue to be fruitful and effective.

We gathered participants representing the region’s main industries and economic sectors: cross-border transport and trade, logistics and container terminals operators, shipping agents and grain traders, importers and producers of wine, oil, coffee and concrete, as well as financial, legal and banking sector.

“Transparent and legal business should be put on a pedestal” – highlighted Mr. Stepanov. During the meeting, common goals and objectives of the private sector and the State were identified. Among them: establishment of an Initiative Group under the Odesa Regional Administration that would consist of EBA members, formation of a new mechanism of the Administration’s management and creation of a single office for improvement of communication with investors, weight control continuation, completion of repair of the Odesa-Reni highway, promotion of alternative energy sources, etc.

Investors eagerly voiced the main concerns affecting their activities, namely the over-intervention of law enforcement bodies into customs procedures and the single window trade facilitation system and its practical shortcomings. We brought the attention of the Head to the important issue of communication between Odesa Regional State Administration, regional and city council as well as pointed out the necessity to implement a comprehensive approach to infrastructure management and the land cadaster.

We thank Maksym Stepanov for his proactive and constructive approach in communication with the business community and we hope our relationship will continue to be fruitful and effective.