OREANDA-NEWS. May 07, 2013. The First Vice Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov held a meeting with heads of large European companies. It took place in the frameworks of his visit to Brussels targeting holding talks with representatives of the European Commission. The meeting was organized in the business-authority format for direct conversation between the head of economic block of Ukrainian Government and foreign investors.

Representatives of foreign companies were familiarized with actions of the Government directed to improvement of conditions for the foreign investors in the country and also future plans in carrying out reforms called to create favorable business climate in Ukraine. 

“We have informed representatives of the European business about the measures taken by the Government in the direction of creating favorable regulatory environment to ensure investments and improvement of business climate. In the framework of these measures we have already simplified the procedure of registration of enterprises, obtaining a status of VAT payer, putting in tax register. We plan to continue liberalization of the tax legislation, in particular, reducing of tax load in VAT, finalizing of a system of administering of this tax. Among the new directions of activity of the state directed to creating favorable conditions to make business there will be simplified customs control,” Serhiy Arbuzov told. 

During the meeting he asked representatives of large European businesses to facilitate signing the Association Agreement with EU, which also envisages creating a free trade area between Ukraine and the EU. 

“We count on functioning of deep and overall free trade area with the EU to afford to Ukraine not only enlarge its export markets, but increase import of advanced technologies with the EU, targeting to stir up modernization of our economics. And for the European exporters and investors creating of the free trade area with Ukraine will remove a considerable number of barriers and open new business opportunities in Ukraine,” the First Vice Prime Minister explained.

Participating in the meeting were leaders of agrarian, financial-investment, industrial, pharmaceutical and other sectors, the companies of which are the members of the European Business Association.

For his part, the First Vice Prime Minister assured that Ukraine was carrying out reforms, which are called to improve the investment climate and expressed hopes that the European companies would create and enlarge their business in Ukraine. “We are holding this meeting to hear firsthand what hampers the European companies and we are ready to introduce reforms, which will ensure growing investments,” Serhiy Arbuzov assured.