xinhuanet: EU launches free trade talks with Ukraine
EU launches free trade talks with Ukraine
The European Union (EU) has launched free trade talks with Ukraine, the European Commission said on Monday. The talks, formally launched by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushenko in Kiev, followed the finalization of Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) earlier this month, which was a prerequisite for the free trade negotiations. "It's a sign of the EU's commitment to Ukraine that the ink is hardly dry on its WTO accession agreement and we are here in Kiev to build on that membership with a new stage in our economic relations," said Mandelson. Mandelson said the free trade talks would not only boost trade and investment between the EU and Ukraine, but also integrate Ukraine into the global economy and deepen partnership between Kiev and Brussels.
