On May 18, 2017 one of the most significant events in Polish-Ukrainian economic cooperation – VI International Forum “Ukrainian Business Day” in Poland – took place in Warsaw. The main aim of the event is to create a platform for exchange of ideas and cooperation between the two countries and foster the flow of foreign investment into the Ukrainian economy.
The Forum brought together over 130 participants from Poland and Ukraine, including representatives of businesses, government, local authorities and financial institutions.
This year’s forum was held under the patronage of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Poland and supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.
The event was organized by the Ukrainian Business Association in Poland and International Legal Center EUCON, with the help of co-organizers Leviatan Cofederation, International Society of Polish Entrepreneurs in Ukraine and Ukraine Investment Promotion Office.
Ukraine’s delegation at the forum was represented by Mykhailo Titarchuk – Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine; Nadiya Kaznacheyeva – Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Petro Matiaszek – Deputy Head of the Investment Promotion Office to at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine; Yaroslav Romanchuk – President of the Ukrainian Business Association in Poland, managing partner of the International Legal Center EUCON, Marek Robert Zalesny – Member of the Board at Ukrzaliznytsia JSC, Nataliya Blazhivska – Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine, Arsen Didur – Deputy Head of Chernihiv Regional Council, Olha Sivak – Head of Investment and Projects at Lviv City Council and others.
Poland was represented by Jerzy Kwieciński – State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development, Jerzy Szmit – Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Construction, Maciej Wroński – Chairman of the Transport and Logistics Employers’ Association in Poland, Lech Pilawski – Director General of the Confederation of Employers LEWIATAN, Jacek Kluczkowski – Coordinator of the Institute of Eastern European Studies and others.
Opening the first panel discussion devoted to the free trade zone and the Polish-Ukrainian economic cooperation, Yaroslav Romanchuk, an attorney, managing partner of the International Legal Center EUCON, president of the Ukrainian Business Association in Poland, stressed that the fact of holding the forum for the sixth time unveiled the relevance of such an event and mutual interest in the Polish-Ukrainian economic relations.
Deputy Minister of Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński noted that the economic relations between Ukraine and Poland after several years of stagnation had shown positive dynamics and in the first quarter of the year the exchange of goods between countries increased. “After the 2014-2015 stagnation, the exchange of goods between the countries in 2016 increased by 17% and amounted to almost 6 billion euro. Moreover, in the first quarter of the year, the exchange of goods increased by 39%”, – said Jerzy Kwieciński.
Mykhailo Titarchuk, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, emphasized: “Today investment is one of the main priorities for Ukraine. As for direct investments, we have certain increase. In 2016 it was 4.4 billion. As for trade relations with Poland, we still need to work on this issue and improve the commodity circulation. This is why forums like this, which bring together the business community, are important”.
The issue of future development of Ukrainian transport infrastructure and logistics was discussed by participants during the second panel discussion. In particular, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Nadiya Kaznacheyeva encouraged Polish investors to have a closer look at the Ukrainian market and not be afraid to invest in the Ukrainian economy.
Marek Robert Zalesny, Member of the Board at Ukrzaliznytsia JSC, told about the great potential of Ukrainian railway transport and pointed to prospects for investors. He also informed about plans of Ukrzaliznytsia to enter the European market and plans of its restructuring in accordance with European railways.
Krzysztof Kołodziej, head of UIA in Poland, noted the significant contribution of aviation in the investment attractiveness of Ukraine and told the participants about the changes taking place in the field of passenger traffic.
Particular attention of the forum participants was focused on reforms taking place in Ukraine. Nataliya Blazhivska, Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine, described the main aspects of judicial reform and its importance for protection of investors’ rights in Ukraine.
Inha Livandovska, public procurement expert of the International Legal Center EUCON, presented ProZorro public e-procurement system. “Due to this reform the procurement procedure has become open, transparent, and – which is the most important – accessible for providers, regardless of their location and country”, – said Inha Livandovska.
A separate session of the forum was dedicated to the regions of Ukraine, where Chernihiv and Lviv were presented. Deputy Head of Chernihiv Regional Council Arsen Didur spoke about the opportunities and prospects of Chernihiv, and Head of Investment and Projects at Lviv City Council Olha Sivak, presented the investment potential of her city.
The forum was also attented by the Chairman of the International Society of Polish Entrepreneurs in Ukraine Piotr Ciarkowski, who shared his experience of doing business in Ukraine. Yevhen Radoveniuk, CEO of the Grain Alliance, introduced the participants with the prospect of investing in biofuels. Vitaliy Skochko, head of investment projects at Astarta-Kyiv, told about the features of investment in agriculture in Ukraine, specifying the risks and prospects for Polish investors.
In the closing of the forum, Yaroslav Romanchuk thanked the governmental delegations and participants of the event. Special thanks was expressed to representatives of the Polish League of Ukrainian students for their help in organizing the Forum and informed that the next VII International forum “Polish Business Day” will be held in Kyiv this autumn.
The participants of the forum also witnessed signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ukrainian Business Association in Poland and the Polish Confederation LEWIATAN, which will allow Ukrainian business to work more closely with the Polish partners.
Programme
Media reports about the forum:
Polskie Radio ; «Ukrinform»; «Law & Business»
