THE UNION OF DAIRY ENTERPRISES OF UKRAINE

EU Integration Committee
of Ukrainian Dairy

Memorandum of Understanding Signed Between SMPU AND EDA

On May 9, Europe Day, a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place in Kyiv between the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (SMPU) and the European Dairy Association (EDA). The event also included the presentation of the EU Integration Committee of the dairy sector.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine; Viktor Kantsurak, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine; Oleksandr Haidu, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy (online); Serhii Tkachuk, Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection; Giuseppe Ambrosi, President of the European Dairy Association (online); Vadym Chaharovsky, Chairman of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine; Alexander Anton, Secretary General of the European Dairy Association (EDA); and Arsen Didur, Executive Director of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine.

With the introduction of the EU’s Autonomous Trade Measures (duty-free and quota-free access), Ukraine’s dairy sector has become an integrated part of the EU single dairy market for approved products and authorised dairy plants.

SMPU and EDA conducted a joint study titled “Prospects for the Development of the Dairy Sector in Ukraine and the EU,” which highlights the positive effects of the long-term integration of Ukraine’s dairy industry into the European dairy market. This integration implies mutual free trade, promoting dairy trade between Ukraine and the European Union in both directions, based on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), without customs duties, quotas, or other unjustified administrative barriers.

To this end, EDA and SMPU agreed on joint activities and defined key areas of cooperation in the Memorandum, which is aimed at:

  • supporting free trade in dairy products and protecting investments in Ukraine;
  • supporting the DCFTA (the EU–Ukraine Free Trade Agreement) and EU accession negotiations through cooperation within the SMPU EU Integration Committee;
  • ensuring the long-term integration of Ukraine’s dairy sector into the EU single market through a joint roadmap;
  • developing a list of “Ukraine’s dairy needs” in the context of the EU’s Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment under the Ukraine Facility;
  • strengthening communication and cooperation between Ukraine and the EU to exchange best practices in improving productivity and quality at the production level, stimulating demand and consumer awareness, as well as sharing experience related to regulatory frameworks and trade and marketing standards in the dairy sector;
  • launching dialogue between Ukraine and the EU on pathways for integrating Ukraine’s dairy sector and agriculture within discussions on Ukraine’s future integration into the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP27).

According to SMPU Executive Director Arsen Didur, the Memorandum is only the first step. The key objective is to develop a roadmap that will guide Ukraine’s dairy sector toward integration into the European “lactosphere.” While this path is not easy, Ukrainian businesses are ready to meet EU requirements and standards to become stronger and more competitive together.

“For us, as Ukrainian dairy businesses, it is important to have a clear perspective. For our European partners, it is important to understand whether we, as a business community, share European values and principles. I hope that we have built a level of mutual trust that allows us to sign this Memorandum,” Didur emphasised. “Ukrainian dairy businesses have been contributing to the EU integration process for more than ten years. Therefore, the signing of this Memorandum is a logical step in the movement of Ukraine’s dairy sector toward the large European dairy family.”

Giuseppe Ambrosi, President of the European Dairy Association, noted that the liberalisation of dairy trade in Europe will help Ukraine’s dairy sector remain resilient and continue exporting its products.

“Our cooperation with SMPU and the European dairy community began long before Russia attacked Ukraine. Our joint study highlights the positive impact and long-term integration of the Ukrainian market into the European lactosphere. In other words, we are talking about a bilateral approach and the strengthening of trade relations between Ukraine and the European Union based on deeper ties, autonomous trade, and investment,” Ambrosi stated.

According to Alexander Anton, Secretary General of the European Dairy Association (EDA), 50% of Ukrainian dairy companies export dairy products to Europe; 58 enterprises export to Switzerland, and Ukrainian companies also have agreements with China.
The signed Memorandum will remove barriers for Ukraine and enable the export of even more products to the EU. In turn, based on free trade principles, we will support Ukraine’s integration into the European market without quotas, limits, or customs duties, which is extremely important,” Anton emphasised.

The SMPU EU Integration Committee was presented by Andrii Tabalov, CEO of Voloshkove Pole Dairy Company, and Yelyzaveta Sviatkivska, the Committee’s Coordinator.

Representatives from ministries, embassies, civil society organisations, and executives from leading dairy processing companies attended the event.