February 8, 2016

The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) announced last July by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ukrainian Prime Minister, Areniy Yatsenyuk, is scheduled to be ratified and signed this year. During a recent meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister, Stephen Dion in Kyiv, Prime Minister, Yatsenyuk said, “We have reached a mutual decision that such an agreement [on the free trade area] should be finally signed and submitted to the national parliaments for ratification,” reports Interfax.

Once the agreement is fully implemented, it will call for the elimination of the bulk of Ukraine’s agricultural tariffs currently in place, including those on Canadian beef, pulses, grains, fish and seafood, canola oil, processed foods, animal feed, and some pork products. In addition, CUFTA will also serve to strengthen Ukraine economically as the government pursues reforms that will result in long-term stability and socio-economic development.

“This deal, it’s an opening of our common markets and it’s also another step in support for Ukraine. In the first against military and economic fight against Russian aggression,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

In light of the ratification, Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAuley and Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland announced on January 11 that Ukraine has granted import approval to any pork or beef products from any Canadian facility that meets its certification requirements. Additionally, after an inspection conducted in September 2015, it was announced that Ukraine has approved 15 additional Canadian beef and pork facilities for export, bringing the total number of approved Canadian beef and pork exporters to 27.

In 2014, Canada exported agricultural, agri-food, and seafood products worth $35.7 million to Ukraine, and industry estimates predict that access to the Ukrainian market for Canadian beef and pork would be worth $50 million per year.

“The Government of Canada is working to create new trade opportunities for Canadian farmers and agri-food exporters in key markets all over the world,” said Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “We are pleased to supply world class beef and pork to Ukraine, maximizing export returns for the benefit of Canadian producers