As we know, starting in April Ukraine is banning the import of automobiles produced five or more years ago. Many think this new regulation is closely connected with the formation of the AutoZAZ-Daewoo joint venture to begin producing the South Korean cars in Zaporizhzhia. Thus the arrival of the special EU commission to Kyiv was no accident. The European Union is concerned about the privileges Ukraine has given the South Korean firm.
During the negotiations working group experts on trade from the European Commission expressed their concern about Ukraine's violation of the international trade standards defined in the treaty on partnership and cooperation between Ukraine and European Union. They claim that the law On Stimulation of Automotive Production in Ukraine and the Cabinet decree on limiting the used car imports discriminate foreign investors who are trying to penetrate the Ukrainian market. According to Hugo Mingarelli, the head of the delegation, it may complicate the admittance of Ukraine into the World Trade Organization. The EU delegation has made a list of propositions concerning certain amendments which it thinks should be made in this law. It has also given the Ukrainian government a three week deadline for doing so.
The Ukrainian delegation did not accept this criticism. On the contrary, it tried to justify the government's decision by claiming that it would stimulate the work of a domestic producer. As UNIAN states, after the talks the head of the Ukrainian delegation and Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy Vadym Liashchov said that the propositions of European Union had been considered, certain directions of work outlined, and perhaps correctives will be made in "the law's essence."






