Memorandum of Cooperation between Ukrainian and European dairy producers was signed
The European Dairy Association (EDA) and the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (SMPU) signed a memorandum of understanding. This is an important event that lays the foundation for cooperation and fair and transparent competition.
By this Memorandum, the UDPE and the EDA outline cooperation aimed at:
- support reciprocal free dairy trade and the protection of investments;
- support the advancing of the DCFTA (UKR-EU free trade agreement) and the accession negotiations via a cooperation within the ‘SMPU EU Integration Committee’;
- advocate for a long-term integration of Ukrainian dairy in the European Single Market via a joint ‘road map’;
- build up and strengthen the UKR-EU dairy network for sharing best practices in improving productivity and quality at the production level, boosting demand and raising awareness at consumer level and for exchanging on the respective dairy-relevant legislative framework, retail and marketing standards at sectoral level in place;
- establish a “Ukrainian dairy needs” list in the context of the EU “Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment” within the ‘Ukraine Facility Program’;
- initiate a UKR-EU dairy dialogue on ways how to integrate Ukrainian dairy & agriculture within the framework of the discussions on the framework of the integration of Ukraine in the future EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP27).
First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi stated during the welcoming speech at the press conference after the signing of the memorandum that this is an important event that lays the foundation for cooperation and fair and transparent competition. According to him, the agreement will contribute to the development of the dairy industry and significantly speed up the process of European integration of the agricultural sector of Ukraine.
"If the Ukrainian and European dairy sectors agree on cooperation, it will speed up the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU. Therefore, it is important for Ukraine to create equal conditions for producers, to provide them with support, as is the case in the EU," Taras Vysotskyi said
The First Deputy Minister added that the Government has recently increased support for animal husbandry, including dairy producers under the "5-7-9 Available Loans" program. Farmers will now be able to take a loan of up to UAH 150 million. This will allow entrepreneurs to develop economically efficient production.
In turn, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Viktor Kantsurak noted that the creation of enterprises for deep processing of milk and production of products with added value should become one of the locomotives of agricultural development of Ukraine.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Agrarian and Land Policy Oleksandr Haydu, Chairman of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine Vadym Chygarnovskyi, President of the European Dairy Association Giuseppe Ambrosi, representatives of specialized associations.