According to the official data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, in 2016 many EU countries increased the supply of goods to Ukraine. In particular, exports from France increased by 71.4%, while imports of products from Ukraine to this country decreased by 8.9%. Italy also increased its exports of goods to Ukraine by 39.1%, while imports from Ukraine decreased by 2.5%.
Latvia also increased its export volume - by 29.1% compared to the previous year, while imports from Ukraine fell by 8.1%.
We also note that the flow of goods to Kiev from Belgium increased by 22.7%, while supplies from Ukraine fell by 15.3%.
On January 1, 2016, the Agreement on the zone of deep and comprehensive free trade between Ukraine and the European Union entered into force. At the same time, before the start of the Agreement, the EU authorities claimed that the Agreement would benefit Ukraine. So, in 2015, the section on the website of the European Service for Foreign Policy Activities called the benefits of the Agreement for Ukraine.
“Thanks to tariff liberalization and, above all, regulatory rapprochement, Ukraine will be able to quickly take advantage of new trade opportunities and simplified access to the largest market in the world,” Brussels said. “Ukraine will be able to take advantage of the choice, which speaks of its firm commitment to move along the path of necessary institutional and economic reforms.”
At the same time, the document explained that the agreement would allow Ukrainian companies to become more competitive.
“Although the Agreement requires manufacturers located in Ukraine and intending to export goods to the EU, implement some EU standards, these changes will be implemented in stages over a long period of time and should be feasible,” the document says. “Although this means a major change in the work of many companies, the long-term results will be positive: Ukrainian companies will be rewarded with more simplified access to the EU market and will become more competitive on the world stage, as EU standards are recognized worldwide.”