Ukraine and World Trade Organization
Submitted by Степан Прийдун on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 15:14
Ukrainehad been in the accession process for 14 years, one of the longest negotiations in the WTO. It became the 153-th full-fledged Member 16 May 2008.
Ukrainehad been in the accession process for 14 years, one of the longest negotiations in the WTO. It became the 153-th full-fledged Member 16 May 2008.
Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, explains that «any State … may accede to this Agreement, on terms to be agreed between it and the WTO». So first and foremost Ukraine had to go in long rounds of tough trade negotiations with all Working Party members, as a result Ukraine negotiated and signed 52 bilateral Protocols, and the Working Party Report was jointly prepared by inputs made by Members and mainly by Ukraine. This made full accession package adopted 5 February 2008 by the General Council and signed by the President of Ukraine V. Yushchenko and WTO Director General Pascal Lami.
On 10 April 2008 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the Law of Ukraine No. 250-VI «On Ratification of the Protocol of Accession of Ukraine to the World Trade Organization»
WTO membership is viewed by Ukraine as an instrument to integrate into the world economy and trade, stimulate efficiency of domestic industries. In reforming its trade policies to be in line with the WTO Ukraine seek to ensure:
- To cut the list of economic activities for which licenses or different permits are needed;
- To decrease the level of interference of state in the businesses;
- Legislative delineation of controlling bodies and elimination of duplication of their functions.
Ukraine in the WTO expect to have liberalized access to world markets for its products, increased investment in Ukraine, access to WTO dispute settlement mechanism, which would allow defend trade interests of Ukraine. Ukraine has now a rightful instrument for predictability in the area of technical regulation and sanitary and phyto - sanitary measure taken by other Members. It also serves a good ground for creation of the free trade area with the European Union, these talks officially started in February 2008.