The export from Ukraine to Norway, as well as Norwegian investments to Ukraine, has a huge potential. Norway imports many agriculture products and considers Ukraine as one of the major suppliers. Ukraine can deliver to Norway among others sunflower, grain, fruits, vegetables, oils, honey etc. Ukraine is still not profiting from the existing Norwegian quotes for the agriculture products. As Norway is not a part of EU there is much more flexibility in taking decisions on economic cooperation with Ukraine. The progress is naturally slowed by the current situation in Ukraine.
Both Norway and Ukraine are realizing the necessity of implementing changes in the existing EFTA agreement. It is in the interest of Ukraine to extend the list of the products, which can be exported duty free to Norway. Mainly the agriculture products are in focus, as Norway produces only 25% of the consumed volume.
As the Ukrainian currency has significantly lost its value and the cost of labor and assets become cheap, Ukraine became very attractive for foreign investments.
During last year’s Ukraine exported to Norway mainly food waste, chemicals, toys, electrical machinery, articles of apparel and closing accessories while the majority of Norwegian export to Ukraine consists of fish and seafood, iron and steel, special reporting provisions, meat, electrical machinery. In 2014 Statoil started to supply gas to Ukraine.
Telecommunications and information technology are well developed areas of Norwegian-Ukrainian cooperation. Companies such as Evry/Infopulse, Miratech, Itera and Runway are prominent examples. Seed Forum concept founded in Norway in 2002 has lately become very active in Ukraine and launches its iHubs in major cities of Ukraine.
The Norwegian business community in Ukraine is also represented by companies operating in the fields of fish trade, business consultancy and outsourcing, farming, production of food packaging, shipbuilding, shipping and other services.
The Embassy provides information and advice concerning the general regulatory framework in Ukraine, foreign relations and domestic political situation and trends, trade policy issues, other background information etc. of relevance to interested Norwegian entities. Furthermore, to provide better support to the Norwegian companies, who are interested in doing business in/with Ukraine, in 2008 the Embassy initiated creation of a Norwegian-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. NUCC is headquartered in Oslo and is very active in developing business relations between Norway and Ukraine.
Another important partner of the Embassy is the Norwegian Seafood Council, which has for many years been active in Ukraine, assisting the Norwegian seafood industry to raise the awareness among Ukrainian consumers about the health benefits from consuming pelagic fish and farmed salmon. Among the examples of this cooperation are organization of Norwegian seafood stands during annual Ukrainian food exhibitions, promotional events like culinary master classes by famous Norwegian chefs, and round tables and conferences analyzing the Ukrainian seafood market and opportunities for boosting sales.
For more information on business and trade opportunities please contact
Trade and Business Coordinator - Dmytro Pankratov
E-Mail:
Tel. +380 44 281 22 16.
Norwegian companies in Ukraine
Seafood
Maritime industry
Tourism
Other industries
Norwegian Embassy in Kiev
Promoting trade and economic cooperation
Norway – Ukraine
The Norwegian Embassy in Kiev is engaged in a range of activities aimed at promoting and increasing Norwegian-Ukrainian trade and investment.
General export services
The Embassy provides free of charge “general export services” to Norwegian companies and also extends some similar assistance to Ukrainian entities seeking information or partners in Norway. Services to Norwegian companies include readily available information and assistance which is not very time consuming (2-3 hours). Examples: elaboration of long and short lists of Ukrainian companies by economic sectors; advising on standard procedure of registering an entity in Ukraine; search for information on legal aspects of export/import operations of particular commodity groups etc.
The Embassy pays special attention to market issues and business development in the following key sectors in Ukraine:
- Fish/seafood
- Telecommunications
- Information technology
- Shipbuilding and the maritime sector
- Tourism
- Renewable energy (hydro power, bio-energy, wind power)
- Energy efficiency and environmental technology
- Carbon management
- Petroleum exploration and production
- Mining
The Embassy carries out some media monitoring and may issue market updates or “fact sheets” with regard to priority sectors. The Embassy collects and maintains information on relevant market actors, distributes brochures and other information, may organise presentations and individual meetings for Norwegian companies, advises Innovation Norway and companies on upcoming sector exhibitions and conferences and may facilitate their participation at such events.
Observation issues
The Embassy monitors the general economic and financial situation in Ukraine, reports on the development and stays informed also on trends and events with regard to real estate, financing, transport, infrastructure, agriculture and other areas of the Ukrainian economy. Of particular interest are:
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Ukrainian scientific and industrial research and development activities, issues relating to the establishment of innovation parks, techno-parks, incubators
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Operations of the Norwegian investment fund for Eastern Europe (managed by Innovation Norway)
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Seed Forum's activities in Ukraine
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Activities of international financing institutions, such as the IMF, IBRD, EBRD, NIB and NEFCO
Supporting activities
The Embassy is involved in a range of activities in Ukraine which indirectly is of relevance to strategic business development, such as promotion of good governance, education and research, cultural cooperation, health and the environment. Our aim is to seek business synergies, inter alia through:
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Contact with relevant Ukrainian entities, government ministries and agencies, chambers of commerce and industry, Academy of sciences institutions, etc.
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Projects financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cleaner production and energy efficiency, higher education, the environment/ climate change, retraining of personnel, health, CSR, conversion
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Projects financed by Norway within the framework of the EEA and Norwegian financing mechanisms (Norwegian-supported projects in the EU with cross-border activities in Ukraine)
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EFTA technical assistance projects in Ukraine
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UNDP (and other UN-agencies)-led/funded programmes
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Cooperation with the European Business Association and the American Chamber of Commerce in Kiev
Anti-corruption and CSR
Norway attaches great importance to the role of business in the overall development of a country, and emphasizes environmental protection, observation of human rights and labour standards, and measures to combat corruption as part of any company's Corporate Social Responsibility.
The Embassy works to ensure that Norwegian economic operators in Ukraine adhere to law, ethical standards and international norms.
Business Anti-Corruption's assessment of Ukraine
Economic/commercial focus sectors
We also provide information and advice concerning the general regulatory framework in Ukraine, foreign relations and domestic political situation and trends, trade policy issues, other background information etc. of relevance to interested Norwegian entities.