The U.S. and Ukraine met Nov. 10 under their bilateral trade and investment cooperation agreement on ways to increase two-way trade, which totaled $3.2 billion in 2020. Emphasizing the “opportunities and potential of the Ukrainian economy” and the importance of “Ukraine’s continued reform efforts,” the U.S. said the meeting covered the following topics, which could see expanded efforts at a meeting proposed for 2022 in Ukraine.
- launching a labor working group that will develop a work plan to promote progress on labor issues
- ensuring Ukraine’s import regime for animal-based products is open and transparent and based on international standards
- options for U.S. exports of live heifers to Ukraine
- U.S. market access for Ukrainian agricultural products
- market distortions caused by non-market excess capacity and its impact on the two countries’ steel industries
- U.S. Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum
- a proposal to promote an adaptable regulatory compliance regime to stimulate trade in industrial products
- an intellectual property work plan identifying tangible steps Ukraine can take to demonstrate progress on key IP issues
- Ukraine’s implementation of a transparent, fair, and predictable system for the collective management of copyright royalties
- eliminating the use of unlicensed software by Ukrainian government agencies
- Ukraine’s IPR enforcement activities, particularly on online piracy, and how to improve them
- implementing an investment screening mechanism in Ukraine based on international best practices
- addressing delays in value-added tax refunds in Ukraine and improving understanding of the refund and audit processes
- trade in media and programming services
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