Business met with the President of Ukraine

14/ 02/ 2020

Yesterday the European Business Association representatives met Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine. Thus, Anna Derevyanko, the EBA Executive Director, thanked the President for developing the solutions in five highly important directions for the business. Those directions include: providing the macroeconomic stability, maintaining the independence of the National Bank of Ukraine and launching available credit program for the micro business; launching a new customs office and implementing initiatives for the more effective work (a law on the authorized economic operator and NCT); initiating unpopular decisions, such as fiscalisation, de-monopolisation of Ukrspyrt, starting the work on the land market; starting the digitalization; conducting dialogue with the business including the discussions on industrial issues, for example, the tobacco industry. At the same time, Anna Derevyanko urged to actualize the reached agreement to veto the draft law №1049 in order to cancel the amendment regarding the price regulation on the tobacco market. At the same time, attention was emphasized on 10 issues that are currently relevant for ensuring an efficient work and development of the business. The first issue concerns the countermeasures against the shadow economy - the necessity to reform the judicial and law-enforcement systems, to provide equal rules of the game in the country, to fight against the contraband and falsification, to protect the rights of intellectual property by introducing a new national principle, etc. The second is about a rational tax burden - simplification of the tax administration, compensation of VAT, and reduction of the burden on the payroll fund, as some initiatives such as the draft law №2758 cause a wave of business outrage. The third is the circular economy and sustainable development, namely, facilitating the solution of various issues on ecology with the support and initiation of the draft laws concerning the waste recycling in the broad context, implementation of the extended responsibility of the producer, introduction of the National report on the emission level of greenhouse gases, etc. The fourth is accelerating the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the EU principles regarding the implementation of labeling requirements, signing the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (also known as “industrial visa-free regime agreement”), adopting the law on veterinary medicine, implementation of the European standards of product safety, etc. At the same time, it is important in this context to choose the head of the specialized institution for this issue – State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection. The fifth is the adoption of the modern labor legislation in order to make a step toward the European conditions of the labor legislation. The sixth is the introduction of the land market by adopting the law on the circulation of the land for agriculture. The seventh is ensuring the further development of energetics, including the alternative sources of energy by reaching the trade-off between the government and the business regarding the green tariffs. The eighth is the development of international trade. Thus, it is worth removing the flaws of the infrastructure, stimulating the river development, building ports and improving the level of services offered by Ukrzaliznytsia by adopting the laws on water and railway transports. Moreover, to regulate the issue of permits for international transportation, in particular, to Poland. The ninth is promoting innovations and implementing new technologies. The issue concerns the further development of cashless and paperless principles, the adoption of laws on cloud services and cross border transfer of banking and financial data – for Ukraine to integrate in the international financial environment. The tenth is stimulating the investment attractiveness of Ukraine and its regions. Thus, it is important for the business to understand the complex vision of gaining investments, not limited by the creative branding of Ukraine, the idea of introducing the investment nannies and the plans regarding the establishment of a new Ministry or a position in the Government responsible for investment issues, etc. The EBA is grateful for the open dialogue and the willingness to listen to the business. The Association will pass to the Office of the President a detailed list of topical business issues. At the same time, the business welcomes the President’s initiative to meet monthly in order to discuss the pending business issues.

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Yesterday the European Business Association representatives met Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine.

Thus, Anna Derevyanko, the EBA Executive Director, thanked the President for developing the solutions in five highly important directions for the business. Those directions include:

providing the macroeconomic stability, maintaining the independence of the National Bank of Ukraine and launching available credit program for the micro business;
launching a new customs office and implementing initiatives for the more effective work (a law on the authorized economic operator and NCT);
initiating unpopular decisions, such as fiscalisation, de-monopolisation of Ukrspyrt, starting the work on the land market;
starting the digitalization;
conducting dialogue with the business including the discussions on industrial issues, for example, the tobacco industry. At the same time, Anna Derevyanko urged to actualize the reached agreement to veto the draft law №1049 in order to cancel the amendment regarding the price regulation on the tobacco market.

At the same time, attention was emphasized on 10 issues that are currently relevant for ensuring an efficient work and development of the business.

The first issue concerns the countermeasures against the shadow economy – the necessity to reform the judicial and law-enforcement systems, to provide equal rules of the game in the country, to fight against the contraband and falsification, to protect the rights of intellectual property by introducing a new national principle, etc.

The second is about a rational tax burden – simplification of the tax administration, compensation of VAT, and reduction of the burden on the payroll fund, as some initiatives such as the draft law №2758 cause a wave of business outrage.

The third is the circular economy and sustainable development, namely, facilitating the solution of various issues on ecology with the support and initiation of the draft laws concerning the waste recycling in the broad context, implementation of the extended responsibility of the producer, introduction of the National report on the emission level of greenhouse gases, etc.

The fourth is accelerating the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the EU principles regarding the implementation of labeling requirements, signing the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (also known as “industrial visa-free regime agreement”), adopting the law on veterinary medicine, implementation of the European standards of product safety, etc. At the same time, it is important in this context to choose the head of the specialized institution for this issue – State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

The fifth is the adoption of the modern labor legislation in order to make a step toward the European conditions of the labor legislation.

The sixth is the introduction of the land market by adopting the law on the circulation of the land for agriculture.

The seventh is ensuring the further development of energetics, including the alternative sources of energy by reaching the trade-off between the government and the business regarding the green tariffs.

The eighth is the development of international trade. Thus, it is worth removing the flaws of the infrastructure, stimulating the river development, building ports and improving the level of services offered by Ukrzaliznytsia by adopting the laws on water and railway transports. Moreover, to regulate the issue of permits for international transportation, in particular, to Poland.

The ninth is promoting innovations and implementing new technologies. The issue concerns the further development of cashless and paperless principles, the adoption of laws on cloud services and cross border transfer of banking and financial data – for Ukraine to integrate in the international financial environment.

The tenth is stimulating the investment attractiveness of Ukraine and its regions. Thus, it is important for the business to understand the complex vision of gaining investments, not limited by the creative branding of Ukraine, the idea of introducing the investment nannies and the plans regarding the establishment of a new Ministry or a position in the Government responsible for investment issues, etc.

The EBA is grateful for the open dialogue and the willingness to listen to the business. The Association will pass to the Office of the President a detailed list of topical business issues. At the same time, the business welcomes the President’s initiative to meet monthly in order to discuss the pending business issues.