European Commission promises to ensure smooth transition to new trade scheme with Ukraine

The European Commission does not plan to extend the Autonomous Trade Arrangements (ATA) regime for Ukraine (the so-called "trade visa-free regime"), which expires on June 5, but promises to ensure a smooth transition to a new system that will enshrine the terms of trade liberalization in a free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine. EU spokesman Olof Hill said this at a briefing in Brussels on April 30.

He reported that autonomous trade measures that simplified the export of Ukrainian goods to the EU will not be completely abolished, and new conditions for trade liberalization will be recorded in a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA).

The European Commission cannot yet say when the transition process will begin, but they promise that it will happen soon and will take place in a structured manner so that after the ATC expires, the way we trade with Ukraine on a bilateral basis will be fully integrated into the new DCFTA.