BRUSSELS, Belgium - Next to the enlargement of the European Union to 27 members next January when Bulgaria and Romania step in as new member states, official negotiations are to begin early next year between the EU and Ukraine on forming a free trade zone. With that zone the export of Ukraine made bicycles to the EU would be possible at an import duty rate of 0%.
With the first bike industry companies setting foot in the Ukraine now; the forming of the free trade zone is expected to lead to more bike makers setting up facilities in the former Soviet country. The Ukraine bike market (annual sales estimated at about 700,000 units) is dominated by Chakivskij Velozavod, a former state owned company that used to produce everything from metal pressings to bicycles.
The fist EU – Ukraine meeting took place in Helsinki on 27 October. There the EU offered Ukraine stronger economic and trade relations on the condition that corruption be reined in and political stability reinforced. Membership of the World Trade Organization is also a prerequisite. On the prospects of EU membership, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: “Ukraine is not ready and we are not ready. Ukraine still has reforms to do. Today in the European Union we are not ready to assume new membership obligations."
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