The Ministry of Economy has started consultations within the framework of official negotiations on joining the EU - they discussed the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to the European one in trade relations, labor legislation and public procurement, the Ministry of Economy reported on Wednesday, UNN writes.
Details
The discussion was held during a meeting between the Deputy Ministers of Economy and representatives of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) Advisory Group of Advisors on July 23.
"Today we will focus on such topics as free access of Ukrainian goods to the EU markets, updating labor legislation and public procurement reform," said Deputy Minister - Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka.
He noted that economic integration with the EU should take place in parallel with the negotiations, so that Ukrainian businesses can enjoy the benefits of free access to the European market even before joining the EU.
Deputy Minister of Economy Tetiana Berezhna emphasized that labor relations are one of the biggest challenges for Ukraine. "The Ministry of Economy is working on updating labor legislation to ensure a balance in the relations between employees and employers, while ensuring the rights of both parties. This issue is particularly important in the context of the country's recovery and reconstruction. At the same time, the modernized labor code must comply with all the rules of negotiation," the statement said.
The negotiation process in the area of public procurement is said to be one of the most important steps on the path to EU membership. As Deputy Minister Nadiya Bihun emphasized, "the government aims to ensure the full opening of the public procurement market between Ukraine and the EU under the Association Agreement before accession." As noted, Ukraine is currently at the third stage of the five stages of opening the public procurement market between Ukraine and the EU.
For reference
The Nordic-Baltic Cooperation is a high-level advisory group on Ukraine's accession to the EU. The group consists of former European Commissioners, Ministers and Ambassadors with first-hand experience of EU accession and EU institutions.
Addendum
The European Union is Ukraine's main trading partner. In January-May 2024, the share of trade in goods with the EU amounted to 52.7% of Ukraine's total trade.