CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2020/21?

 

At the EBA we believe that stable, open, and attractive business environment in Ukraine can be set by professional advocacy support and transparent dialogue between business and authorities. We believe our major role is to enhance communication with authorities thus fostering business community trust. We balance the interests of market stakeholders and strive to establish the rule of law in the country.

 

As an advocacy organization, we deal both with collective and individual initiatives of the business community. During Q1-Q3 2021, we received 282 collective and 117 individual advocacy initiatives. Among the key successes of our community, one can find recent digitization of 13 licenses most demanded by business and introduction of new e-services, the adoption of “Diia City” with business proposals, significant update of the veterinary legislation, resumption of the scientific research, and state testing of CPPs, adoption of new legislation on payment services, establishment of a legal basis for the national forest inventory, introduction of warranties in electronic form, VAT rate reduction on certain types of agricultural products, and much more.

 

Talking in general about other positive aspects in 2021, we highlight the ongoing dialogue with the authorities, a stable exchange rate, low discount rates, the launch of the land market, support for significant investment projects. However, the investment climate can be further improved through the implementation of real judicial reform, the fight against corruption and smuggling, stable legislation, predictable and transparent conditions for business, acceleration of vaccination, and continuous effective dialogue with business.

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EBA HAS A SUCCESSFUL REGIONAL APPROACH THAT ALLOWS FOR GREATER COOPERATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE?

 

The EBA allows for an expansive reach through our web of connections throughout the whole country — with offices located in the largest business spots — Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Odesa. These regional offices were established in response to interest from businesses operating in different regions of Ukraine. The local branches aim to create favorable conditions for doing business in the regions and facilitate communication among business circles.

 

We offer various B2B and B2G meetings as well as social and educational events and hold our advocacy activities through the work of open committees in the regions. Every committee aims to solve a specific industry problem of a particular region of Ukraine, as well as identifying a common position for overcoming obstacles to doing business in Ukraine. We encourage local companies to join us so that one can initiate and be engaged in direct dialogue with the local authorities, share knowledge and experience.

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“PEOPLE IN UKRAINE ARE DEDICATED

AND PROUD TO CONTRIBUTE TO

BOOSTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

AND THE COUNTRY'S GROWTH IN MANY AREAS.”

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WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS TO BE PART OF EBA FOR MEMBERS AND FOR POTENTIAL NEW INVESTORS COMING TO UKRAINE?

 

The European Business Association is the largest and one of the most influential business communities in the country, uniting almost 1000 member companies. For new and current members, we are a high-quality government relations advisor, an accelerator in building meaningful relationships with authorities, and a guide for fellow businesspeople in Ukraine.

 

How can EBA membership benefit your business? It can help by protecting legitimate interests of foreign and domestic companies at the highest state level; by keeping communication lines between businesses, employees, current and prospective clients; by initiating high-profile events; by enhancing your brand awareness with various PR opportunities; by training and developing the professional skills of your employees; by providing member-companies with full-scale comprehensive information about relevant legislation changes and regulatory environment in the country, etc.

 

The EBA has it all to advocate for your interests, strengthen your business transparency, and provide you with great networking and professional development opportunities. We apply the best European and global practices in our daily work and contribute to the EU-Ukraine relationship and cooperation. The European Business Association is a valuable helping hand for businesses!

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IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS TRENDS IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA?

 

The pandemic has brought its fair share of challenges to all entrepreneurs. However, even in today’s uncertain climate, EBA community is being optimistic about the future as the vast majority, namely 83% CEOs of our member companies, forecast the growth of their business in 2022. The pandemic not only brought obstacles and challenges but also encouraged companies to innovate and adapt nearly all processes to the new reality. The unprecedented circumstances forced companies to re-examine their costs and operations, interact with customers, as well as proved digitalization to be a vital part of modern company’s transformation.

 

Businesses are looking for new opportunities to work faster and more efficiently. Thus, quarantine allowed to test the remote work regime, which even before the pandemic became a global trend. Our surveys show that both small companies and large corporations are ready to switch to remote work, as it has a number of benefits associated with resource optimization. More than 60% of directors of EBA member companies are considering the option of a full or partial change of working hours to remote.

 

The introduction of digital tools can also significantly increase productivity and management, save money and reduce time costs, create new demand and value. The innovative business actively uses such tools to manage data analysis to assess production efficiency, develop automated processes, manage reporting systems and planning. The development and deepening of these processes will create benefits for companies in a new highly competitive environment.

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WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE CONSIDERING UKRAINE AS THE DESTINATION FOR THEIR INVESTMENTS?

 

Invest in Ukraine! We do have a lot to offer – opportunities, resources, and talents. People in Ukraine are dedicated and proud to contribute to boosting business development and the country's growth in many areas. And join the EBA, of course With our rich legacy of leadership of open-minded professionals — we will make Ukraine a better place for business as this country is endowed with immense potential.