Process of Ukraine’s accession to the WTO started on November 30, 1993 by submitting the official application of the Government of Ukraine about its intention to join the GATT. The Protocol on Ukraine’s accession to the WTO was signed on February 5, 2008 in Geneva and ratified by the Verkhovna Rada on April 10, 2008.
On April 16, 2008 the President of Ukraine V.Yushchenko signed a Law on the ratification of a Protocol on Ukraine’s accession to the WTO. According to the WTO procedures Ukraine became a full-fledged member of the Organization on May 16, 2008.
Ukraine’s WTO membership provided necessary conditions and opened new prospects for development of the national economy. As a WTO member Ukraine on absolutely equal conditions with the other member states is directly involved into creation of new world market trade rules within the current round of multilateral trade negotiations for the purpose of the maximum consideration of the national interests in the trade and economic field.
Having acquired the WTO membership Ukraine received the right to use the WTO disputes settlement mechanism that promotes the fair solution of any trade quarrels between the member states concerning observance of provisions of the WTO agreements. Within the specified mechanism a number of important questions were positively resolved, such as discriminatory taxation, licensing of some types of the Ukrainian production etc. Ukraine continues to use the above WTO mechanism in the course of the consistent efforts on promoting export growth and expansion of the Ukrainian goods on other markets.
The Ukraine’s accession to the WTO also creates the necessary conditions for signing the Agreement on free trade with The European Free Trade Association (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein) which came into force since June 1, 2012, as well as became a strong incentive to start negotiations with the European Union on creation of a free trade area. Political part of EU- Ukraine Association Agreement was signed on March 21, 2014. Economic part of this agreement was signed on June 27, 2014.
The Ukrainian Government foreign trade policy is directed toward active participating in multilateral trade negotiations in order to take advantages of Ukraine-WTO membership for the purpose of Ukraine’s export growth and protection of state economic interest on foreign markets.
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine is the central executive authority that is responsible for cooperation of Ukraine with the WTO. More information on cooperation of Ukraine within the WTO can be found on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.