Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions the Government is taking to ensure that business here avails of the opportunities in the Ukraine in view of the granting of free market economy status to the Ukraine and pending admission to the World Trade Organisation; the steps which are being taken to address the declining trade between Ireland and the Ukraine at a time when Ukrainian imports are generally growing rapidly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39907/05]

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Ukraine is one of Europe's largest countries, with GDP growth of 12.1% in 2004, and is currently one of Europe's fastest-growing economies. To date, it has been a largely untapped market for Irish exports. Significant export market potential exists in Ukraine in telecommunications and IT, construction materials and services, agricultural machinery, food-processing, health care, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, international consulting services, automotive components and aviation services.

The European Union's recent recognition of Ukraine as satisfying the criteria for market economy status will result in an easing of the EU's anti-dumping rules. The country is in the midst of a programme of legal and regulatory change to facilitate its entry into the World Trade Organisation, WTO, and that will likely act as a spur to increased trading activity between Ireland and Ukraine. Negotiations on that issue are ongoing, and it is not possible to state, at this stage, when Ukraine will be formally admitted to the WTO.

While both exports and imports with Ukraine have declined over recent years, figures for the first eight months of this year show a welcome increase compared with the same period in 2004. Exports have increased 16% to €12.9 million and imports increased by 61% to €2.8 million in the same period. The real figure for exports is thought to be higher, as some Irish exports to Ukraine are transacted through third countries.

Enterprise Ireland, EI, is working to expand our trade with Ukraine. In June 2005, EI organised a "Doing Business in Ukraine Seminar", in co-operation with the Ukrainian Embassy in Dublin. A ministerial trade mission to that country is planned for early 2006, and that will act as a focus for existing Irish interest in Ukraine and attract other Irish companies wishing to enter the Ukrainian market. Trade mission participants will have the opportunity to investigate the market thoroughly and interact with their Ukrainian counterparts in a substantive and structured way. I am confident that the trade mission will see tangible results in the expansion of trade between our two countries.