European Union

Ukraine has received €1. 5 billion of the second tranche of funding from the EU and expects the third tranche of €1.89 billion to be disbursed soon.

The issue of excess profits from frozen Russian assets in the EU is not currently on the agenda of EU ambassadors this week, but there is a possibility that it could be approved within the next 1-2 weeks.

Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who was arrested in Russia for taking bribes on an especially large scale, faces up to 15 years in prison.

Presidential elections have begun in North Macedonia, with seven candidates running. It is expected that none of the candidates will overcome the 50 percent threshold in the first round, so the second round will tentatively take place on May 8.

The Verkhovna Rada passed in the first reading a draft law that supplements the Tax Code with provisions on combating bribery of foreign officials, obliging regulatory authorities to notify the NABU of signs of bribery found during taxpayer audits.

Georgia has extended the period of visa-free stay for Ukrainian citizens to three years, allowing them to enter and stay in the country without a visa for the full three years.

EU Diplomacy Chief Josep Borrell expects the EU Council to finalize the discussion on the use of funds from seized Russian assets for military support to Ukraine through the European Peace Fund, as the bloc believes it is legally justified.

Starting today, April 24, buses can choose the time of border crossing at 10 checkpoints with Moldova as part of the electronic queue service.

According to the IMF, trade disputes between Ukraine and its European neighbors have affected Ukraine's economic growth and budget revenues.

On April 19, the largest conference for small and medium-sized businesses took place in the Pochaina event hall.

The Verkhovna Rada plans to consider a bill that would allow customs clearance of cars through the Diia system to reduce corruption and speed up the process, with the cost of the car calculated automatically.

The draft law proposes to implement European practices in the customs legislation of Ukraine, including customs representation, provisions on customs regimes, brought in line with EU norms, and harmonize terminology with European legislation.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak discussed the prospects of investing in Ukraine with representatives of CRH, the largest manufacturer of construction materials in North America and Europe, assuring them of full support and favorable conditions for such large investors.

The EU is considering imposing sanctions on more than 10 companies from russia, Turkey, the UAE, China, and Hong Kong for importing millions of euros worth of banned European goods for use by the russian military-defense complex, despite significant trade restrictions.

Ukraine could receive up to $5 billion from confiscated Russian assets if the US Congress approves the REPO bill, which would allow the president to seize Russian sovereign assets currently under US jurisdiction.

The draft law plans to classify oil, oil products, and gas condensate as excisable goods with a zero excise tax rate, and to include some solvents as excisable goods with a rate of 245 euros per 1000 liters.

The Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy called on the authorities to preserve the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine in its current format, emphasizing its vital role in ensuring food security and economic recovery of Ukraine during the war with Russia.

Austria has extended free travel on its highways and the right to obtain border insurance for Ukrainians with vehicles until September 30, 2024, allowing them to use Ukrainian driving licenses without exchanging them for EU ones during this period.

The European Parliament voted to extend duty-free trade in Ukrainian agricultural products for a year until June 5, 2025, with new restrictions to protect the interests of European farmers.

The Verkhovna Rada has supported a draft law that establishes new fines for illegal trade in beer, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and e-cigarette liquids without state registration or permits.

The Verkhovna Rada supported a draft law to create a new system of regulation and control over activities related to forest reproductive resources, ensure the preservation and restoration of unique forest ecosystems, preserve genetic diversity, increase forest cover and bring them in line with EU legislation.

The Ministry of Economy has submitted a draft National Energy and Climate Plan to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management. This is a key strategic document expected by the EU from Ukraine.

Ukraine and Brazil plan to intensify economic cooperation and increase trade between the two countries.

Germany pressures the United States and other NATO allies to provide Ukraine with more Patriot missile defense systems and other equipment to strengthen its air defense against massive Russian air strikes.

Hungary threatens to block €2 billion in EU aid to Ukraine unless Kyiv stops discriminating against Hungarian companies operating in Ukraine.

The draft law No. 9450 on international territorial cooperation was updated with several important changes, including expanding its scope to cover more territories, dividing cooperation into inter-territorial, cross-border and transnational, prohibiting cooperation with the aggressor state, allowing district councils and heads of military administrations to initiate cooperation, providing a clear algorithm for implementing joint projects funded by the EU, and introducing a detailed procedure for approving cooperation agreements.

The EU is threatening to ban TikTok Lite's paid feature due to concerns about its potential negative impact on children's mental health and safety.

Ukraine has launched a coordination center for integrated border management to monitor and report on the situation at the state border, facilitate coordination between border agencies, and prepare situational reports.

Ukraine switched to the updated NCTS Phase 5 IT system on time, fulfilling its obligation to join the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure, which is a prerequisite for accession to the European Union.

The next meeting of the contact group on Ukraine's defense in the Ramstein format will take place at the end of this week, the head of the Dutch Defense Ministry said.