Business

opportunity in Ukraine

 

National economy is mainly industrially oriented. This is due to the considerable reserves of natural resources and their diversity. Among power resources coal is predominant.

 Ukrainian iron-ore and manganese-ore deposits are considered as the richest in the world. Ukraine is also a primary producer of sulfur, titanium and beryllium. There are also large deposits of nickel, chromites, mercury (2-nd in the world), aluminum ores, etc. Over 15 deposits of gold have been discovered in recent years. Ukraine is one of the leading countries in Europe and the world for non - metallic natural mineral resources.

Table 1.

Production Values of Manufacturing

 and  Food Industries of Ukraine

 

2002

%, Change

2002/2001

Electro energy, bn. Kwh/year

172,8

+0,4

Oil, mln. ton

3,7

+0,6

Gas, bn. cub. m.

18,4

+1,3

Coal, mln. ton.

59,4

--3,8

Cast iron, mln. ton

27,6

+4,7

Steel, mln. ton.

34,5

+3,0

Plates, mln. ton.

26,4

+4,0

Tubes, mln. ton.

1,5

--8,8

Fertilizers, mineral, mln.ton.

2,3

+5,6

Chemical threads,  ton

24800

--6,4

Cement, mln.ton.

7,1

+23,5

Machine-tool works

808

--28,7

Grain, mln.ton.

38,8

--2,3

Sugar, mln. ton.

1,6

--16,4

Sunflower oil, mln. ton.

0,9

+7,1

Milk, mln. ton.

14,1

+5,2

Meat,mln. ton.

2,5

+7,6

Eggs, bn.

11,3

+16,8

 

The largest part of the total output of industrial production belongs to ferrous metallurgy (20,6%), food industry  (19,1%), power industry  (14,1%), machinery and metalworking (11,5%), coal industry (7,3%), chemical and petrochemical industries  (6,9%).

A number of industries in Ukraine are characterized by high technological level of development. Manufacture of rocket carries, satellites and space exploration equipment has been established. Ukraine is a significant manufacturer of military equipment – tanks, military transportation aircraft, antiaircraft-missile complexes, optical equipment. Ukraine has considerable intellectual potential practically in all branches.

Soil is one of the natural riches of our country. According to the estimations Ukraine has a quarter of the worlds black soil reserves.

The main branches of food and processing industry are sugar, alcohol, meat, milk, flour-and-cereals branches, etc.

Transport system potential of Ukraine is quite high. National transport network is able to get up the intensification of products and passengers transportation in both home and international communication.

Foreign trade

        Foreign trade turnover of goods, services and works in 2002 increased by 10.3 per cent compared with 2001 and made 40,5  USD.

        Volumes of export  increased by by 11.1 per cent and made 22 bn  USD.

       Volumes of import increased by  9.4 per cent and came to 18,5 bn USD.

       Positive trade balance amounted to 3,5 bn  USD.

The biggest trade partners of Ukraine are Russia, Germany, Turkmenistan, Turkey, USA, Italy, Belarus, Poland, China, Bulgaria and France.

Table 2.

Exports by  the main

chapters,  2002

mln USD

 

Chapter

Exports

Value

%

Total

12757582,1

100

Live animals and other animal production

266423,3

 

2.09

 

Cereals

610542,50

4.79

Products of the food industry

361968,6

2.84

Ores, slag, and ash

325553,6

2.55

Inorganic chemicals

313321,7

2.46

Fertilizers

279415,2

2.19

Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics and textile articles

496829,6

 

3.90

Iron and steel

3861539,8

30.1

Articles of iron and steel

383351,2

3.0

Tools, implements and cutlery

520242,2

4.08

Machinery and equipment

889148,8

6.97

Electrical machinery

341158,1

2.67

Lokomotive, aircraft, sh³ps and parts thereof

439789,99

3.45

 

Table 3.

 

Imports

by   the main  chapters,  2002

mln USD

 

Chapter

Imports

 

Value

%

Total

12044592,7

100

Products of the food industry

433965,0

3.60

Crude petroleum

1592599,5

13.22

Gas natural

2625244

21.80

Plastics and rubber products

519060,6

4.3

Paper and paperboard

482937,4

4.01

Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics and textile articles

481078,9

3.99

Machinery and equipment

13474323

11.19

Electrical machinery

482682,1

4.0

Lokomotive, aircraft, sh³ps and parts thereof

702896,0

 

 

5.84

 

 

Ukrainian – Turkish bilateral cooperation

After the collapse of former Soviet Union Turkey was among the first countries of the world recognizing Ukraine as an independent state. Nowadays trade and economic relations between Ukraine and Turkey are regulated by the main following agreements:

Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation, Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments.

      There are also bilateral agreements concluded between our countries in various fields including transportation, customs, standardization, tourism, agriculture, science and technology.

 Now Turkey is the 4th trade partner of Ukraine. For the  2002 the bilateral trade amounts to 1,3 bn. USD. As compared to the 2001 the volume of trade turnover has increased by 22,2%.

 

Table 4.

 

mln USD

 

2001

2002

%, Change

2002/2001

Trade volume

1045.1

1278,8

122,2

Export(from Ukraine to Turkey)

757.5

969,4

128

Import(to Ukraine from Turkey)

287.6

309,4

107

The trade statistics based on the data of The State Institute of Statistics of Turkey is shown in table.

 

Ukrainian export is mainly composed of such groups of goods as tools, instruments, cutlery of base metal (38,7%), iron and steel (33.4%), chemical products (15%) etc.

Our import from Turkey, on the other hand, are mainly composed of  fruits and vegetables (12,3%), plastics  articles  (16,1%), chemical products (11%), textile products and ready-to-wear clothes (10,5%), machinery and equipments (16%), food industry products (14%) and mineral products (11%).

 Ukraine and Turkey are ready to further develop the dialogue and collaboration between them not only in iron and steel industry, chemical industry but in automotive sector, machine building, electronics, shipbuilding industry, aircraft industry, defense industry etc.

Special opportunities are open between them in the energy sector with particular emphasis on oil and natural gas transportation, oil refining, construction of the Turkish power generation sector and electric power transportation.

 

Foreign Investment in Ukraine

The main features of the foreign investment legislation can be summarized as follows:

No Minimum Capital Reguirement

A Ukrainian legal entity is recognized as a company with foreign investment if it has at least 10% foreign ownership in its charter capital (i.e. share capital); no minimum/maximum foreign capitalization requirements are stated. Registration of foreign investment with the local authorities is required in order to benefit from the foreign investment guarantees. Foreigners should not apply any permission from central ministries for investment.

 

National Treatment Principle

The firms and branch offices established according to Ukrainian legislation are considered as Ukrainian firms and branch offices.

 

Foreign Investors' Participation

Foreign investors, either in the form of a legal entity or an individual may generally acquire up to a 100% participation in a Ukrainian business. Virtually no restrictions are made on the form of the contemplated investment in Ukraine. Capital contributions can be in cash or in other kind (tangible or intangible assets). However, government licensing and administrative bodies may restrict the business areas of investment. Foreign investment in armaments, explosives, drugs and other areas of national interest are prohibited.

 

Types of Investments

The Law recognizes that foreign investment can take place in a variety of forms, including:

·         formation of a joint-venture company;

·         acquisition of stock (shares) in existing enterprises;

·         buying movable or immovable property;

·         creation of a company, wholly-owned by a foreign investor;

·         acquisition of property rights by purchasing securities;

·         buying the right to use land and concessions to exploit natural resources.

 

Form of Capital

Foreign investors have the right to invest by using  all knowing forms of capital

 ( hard currency; Ukrainian currency as a re-investment into an existing or a newly established enterprise; any movable or immovable property and property rights connected with it; shares, bonds, their securities and other corporate rights; monetary claims and claims under contracts, valued in a hard currency and guaranteed by first rank banks; any intellectual property rights with confirmed estimation in hard currency according to the laws of the investor's country of residence, including copyrights, trademarks, firm names, know-how and others;

 rights in respect of economic activities, including exploration and utilization of natural resources valued in hard currency and conferred and valued under the laws of the investor's resident country).

 

Taxation

 

Under current Ukrainian legislation foreign investment is exempted from VAT and import duties. However, if the goods contributed are subject to excise duties, the exemption from VAT and import duties does not apply. If the investment is disposed of within 3 years from the date of registration in the books of the Ukrainian entity, all  the relevant import duties will be due.

 

Land property

According to the Ukrainian Land Code, which was adopted last year, foreigners are allowed to buy non-cultivated land or buildings with land in cities.  This plots of land may be used for construction of facilities for business activity.

 

 

Guarantees

    Guarantees for investors are set out in legislation as follows:

• 10 year grandfathering clause permitting any qualified investor to enjoy favorable treatment and guarantees contained in the Law in the event of a subsequent change in legislation;

• foreign investment is exempted from nationalization, except for cases of natural disaster;

• foreign investors may seek damages (losses of profit and moral injury) resulting from negligent acts by or failure to perform by the state (if confirmed, compensation is payable in hard currency);

• when terminating its activity, an investor has 6 months to return its investment in kind or in cash without payment of customs duties, as well as any profits earned in kind or cash at their real market value;

• foreign investors are guaranteed unhindered and immediate rights to repatriate the profits abroad after complying with the withholding tax regulations.

State Protection of Foreign Investment

Ukrainian legislation on foreign investments sets out protection for foreign investment in Ukraine against state confiscation except for cases of national emergency. Such cases include evacuation/rescue measures in connection with disasters, accidents or epidemics. Foreign investors are eligible for compensation of losses caused by government bodies with respect to the above cases.

More detail information about legal regime for foreign investments, insurance, labor, taxation, VAT and other questions of business environment in Ukraine you may find on our web-site.

Besides this you may also contact our trade mission, which can help you to choose investment project, to give more detailed information about export –import operations, plan of international exhibitions in Ukraine, Ukrainian producers of some goods, to prepare program of business trip etc.  

 

Representative Offices of Foreign Companies in Ukraine

For attention: A representative office of a non-resident in Ukraine is a place of the non-resident's    business activity in the territory of Ukraine. Non-resident legal entities which carry out    their activities via a representative office in Ukraine do not have the status of a legal    entity in Ukraine and are subject to the legislation of the country of their permanent    residence. Representative offices undertake accounting and reporting in accordance    with Ukrainian legislation.

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine carries out the registration of representative offices. Business activities of representative offices are regulated by the relevant Laws of Ukraine. Foreign investment activities of representative offices are regulated by the Ukrainian legislation on foreign investment.

Under acceptance of documents for registration, an applicant is given the number of account for payment of registration fee, amounting to 2.500 USD.

 

Foreign Investment Figures

As of  the end of 2002, accumulated foreign direct investment in Ukraine amounted  to 5,3 bn. USD in terms of the value of foreign capital approvals. As of  2002, 8690 foreign capital companies operated in Ukraine.

The total of last years foreign direct investment approvals stands at 784 mln. USD(increased by 15,2%).

 

Turkish Investments in Ukraine

 

Turkish investments in Ukraine are 38,1 mln. USD. There are 265 companies with Turkish investments in Ukraine.

About 32% of Turkish investments are in industry, 20,7% - agriculture and food industry, 20,2% - finance activity, 20,2% - trade, 6,8% - construction and transport services.

Last year, for example, a famous Turkish holding “Evyap“, has established its branch in Illichivsk in Odessa region. After finishing some reconstruction works this Turkish factory will produce soap not only for Ukrainian market, but also Russian, Belorussian and other republics of former Soviet Union. The total expected investment is 60 mln. USD.

 

Macroeconomic indicators

 

During last year GDP grew by 4,6% in comparison with 2001. These results were achieved due to uncertainty in the global market and the leveling off in consumer demand. 

Ukrainian currency strengthening in 2002 has had a positive influence on the repayment of external debts. In 2002 deflation was shown by 0,6%.

Official unemployment level was 3,8% .

 

Table 5.

Macroeconomic indicators

 

 

2000

 

2001

2002

                                      

 

Economic activity

 

 

GDP, billions UAH  

170

202

220.5

Real GDP, apc*

+5.9

+9

+4.6

Real industrial output,

apc

+12.9

+14.2

+7.0

Real agricultural, apc

+7.6

+10.0

+1.9

Real household disposable

 income, apc

+11.1

+14.5

+21.2

Real retail trade, apc

+7.5

+11.7

+14.8

Consumer price index, apc

+26

+6

-0.6

Producer price index, apc

+21

+0.9

+5.7

Labour market

 

Real wages, average, apc

+1.0

+20.9

+18.2

 

Official unemployment rate,

 %

4.2

3.7

3.8

 

Foreign economic activity

 

Exports of goods & services

, apc

+20.3

+10.0

+11.1

Imports of goods & services

, apc

+18.9

+14.0

+9.4

Monetary indicators

 

NBU international reserves,

 millions USD

1539

3095

4417

 

Official exchange rate (average annual), UAH/USD

5.44

5.37

5.33

 

Loan interest (average annual), yearly %(1)

41

32

24.8

 

apc – annual percentage change

Note (1) commercial banks loans, UAH

UAH- ukrainian currency

NBU – National Bank of Ukraine

The Banking System

After independence Ukraine has established its own banking system. The current banking system is two-tiered, comprising the NBU and 189 commercial banks. Oschadnybank and Ukreximbank are still state owned.

 There are currently six main banking companies in Ukraine with foreign ownership: Credit Lyonnais, Citibank, Bank Austria Creditanstalt, ING, Raiffeisenbank and First Ukrainian International Bank.

We also have agreement between our Governments to establish branches of Turkish banks in Ukraine.

                                             Free zones in Ukraine

As of the end of 2002, there were 11 free zones in Ukraine and 66 territories with special investment regime.

Privatization Endeavor in Ukraine

Privatization in Ukraine, aims not only to minimize state involvement in economic activities and to relieve the financial burden of state economic enterprises on the national budget, but also contemplates the development of capital markets and the rechannelling of resources towards new investments.

Now about 80% of industrial output is produced by non - public sector.

More detail  information about investment in Ukraine you may see on our Web-site www. ttnet.net.tr/ukremb

 

Consulting companies which are ready to suport you on our market

“COSMOS”    e-mail   nd-cosmos@ukr.net

“TRADEX”  e-mail      tradex2002@ukr.net

Trade and Economic Mission

of the Embassy of Ukraine

to the Republic of Turkey