Next year, the Government will expand the tools to support business, especially the processing industry, and attract investments in the real sector of the economy. This was stated by Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy of Ukraine, during her speech at the Export Credit Forum 2023.

“We will stimulate the processing industry, promote the attraction of investments in the real sector and strengthen non-raw exports. Our priority is the reorientation of the economy from a resource-based economy to a processing one. The same transformation should take place in the export structure. Currently, the share of the processing industry is about 35%. We should strive for 70-80%,” Yuliia Svyrydenko emphasized.

According to her, next year the Government will expand business support programs, primarily those working in the processing sector and manufacturing value-added products. In particular, there still be the 5-7-9% affordable loans programme, the funding of the grant programme for processing enterprises, under which up to UAH 8 million may be received for development, and micro-grant programmes for starting or expanding one’s own business will be increased. Next year, the Government also plans to focus on supporting large investment projects and the development of industrial parks.

In addition, First Deputy Prime Minister reminded of the work on insurance of war risks, in particular, by the Ukrainian Export Credit Agency, the mandate of which was recently expanded and it will now be able to insure the investments of Ukrainian companies. ECA is also part of the global insurance mechanism for ships that export goods by sea.

Yuliia Svyrydenko also noted that the issue of unblocking transportation across the western border is now acute.

Thus, according to operational data of the State Customs Service, in November, the volume of exports of Ukrainian products reached 9.2 million tons. 783,000 tons is accounted for by freight transport. The largest volume of exports passed through the Polish border — 282,000 tons. And this volume is 40% less than before the Polish carriers went on strike. At some checkpoints, such as Yahodyn - Dorohusk, Rava-Ruska - Khrebenne, exports have almost frozen or decreased in half.

“We are actively working to resolve this situation. Not all of it can be public, because this publicity does not always play into the country’s hands. But we have reason to hope that thanks to this dialogue from both sides, we will be able to resolve the situation. Our diplomatic steps can also be strengthened by exporters which have counterparties in Poland. Our business associations are already doing this, building a dialogue with Polish partners, deepening cooperation, lobbying for the interests of Ukraine,” Yuliia Svyrydenko said.