Shmyhal: Ukraine exports 6% more goods to EU in 2024, intends to maintain conditions of access to its market in 2025

The minimum task for Ukraine in trade with the European Union for the current 2025 is to maintain the conditions of access to the EU market at a level no lower than 2024, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.

"The indicators of Ukrainian goods exports to Europe continue to grow. Some 60% of everything that Ukrainian businesses sell abroad goes to the EU. Last year, we exported goods there for almost $25 billion. This is 6% more than in 2023," Shmyhal said at a government meeting on Tuesday.

According to him, Ukraine intends to discuss with European partners both the continuation of the "economic visa-free regime," when most Ukrainian goods enter the EU without duties, tariffs and quotas, and its permanent consolidation due to the change in the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement.

"This year, we will also discuss the continuation of the transport visa-free regime, thanks to which Ukrainian road carriers no longer need special permits. Last year, exports by road already amounted to more than 10 million tonnes worth $ 14.7 billion. This is 5% more than in 2023 and evidence of how important the "transport visa-free regime" is for Ukrainian logistics and exports," the prime minister said.

According to Shmyhal, in the near future the government plans to complete all internal preparations for negotiations on signing the "industrial visa-free regime" and submit a corresponding bill to the Verkhovna Rada.

"There is one bill left to pass, which we will present to parliament in the near future. After that, we will be able to move on to the official process of concluding the deal. "Industrial visa-free regime" is another unique tool for supporting Ukrainian business and integration into the European economy, providing for mutual recognition of product certification. This will increase export opportunities, reduce bureaucracy and shorten the time required for Ukrainian goods to enter the European market," the head of the Ukrainian government said.