09 July 2015 Federation of Employers of Ukraine. AMU

The AMU Holds Consultations With Civil Society In Ukraine

In Kiev, the experts of the Agency of the modernization of Ukraine held a round table with Ukrainian and European politicians, representatives of public authorities and public organizations. The discussion was attended by over 100 delegates.

Michael Shpindelleger, the AMU President, and Gunter Verheugen, the Head of the European integration workstream, discussed with the participants of the round table the issues of education, free trade between the EU and Ukraine, and cooperation in the field of telecommunications, transport and energy.

"These roundtables are one of several tools for dialogue with Ukrainian society, and they make an important contribution to the creation of the Program of modernization of Ukraine", said Michael Spindelegger, the AMU President.

The event brought together participants, who believed that the first priority for Ukraine was to implement effective reforms, and not political populism. Guenther Verheugen, the Head of the AMU European Integration workstream, noted that to integrate into the European Union Ukraine needed to fight corruption and shadow economy, and to adapt the economic and political model towards European standards.

"We see people's will for changes. But today we did not come to read you a lecture, what and how to do it. Everyone understands that when it comes to the system of public administration, and the fight against corruption – there is still much to be done", said Gunter Verheugen.

He also praised the importance of relations between Ukraine and the EU, describing their as a main way of the European Union development: "Ukraine's Turkey’s integration into the EU and are a litmus test for the EU and its willingness to become a global player," said Gunter Verheugen. Vice-President of the European Commission for Enterprise and Industry (2004-2010), the European Commissioner for Enlargement (1999-2004) also added that the current borders of the European Union were based on the foundation of the old military-political blocs and today they were out of date: "The old boundaries do not correspond to the new values. That is why we need a new approach to overcome these outdated views. I am convinced that Ukraine should be given the prospect of EU membership", said Gunter Verheugen.

Mr. Dmitry Firtash, the initiator of the Agency for the Modernization establishment, the President of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, is sure that the reform program being developed by the AMU can bring Ukraine's economy to a new level.

"We have invited the Poles, British, French, and Germans to take part in developing of the program of the modernization of Ukraine. Together, we want to create a common creative work – a program of modernization of Ukraine allowing for real reform", said Dmitry Firtash.

During the discussion, the Ukrainian employers and academics presented their vision of the economic recovery to the Agency of the modernization. "We have to choose high technology industry, which will create added value and give work to other sectors of the economy. Among these strong sectors are mechanical engineering, IT and telecommunications, power engineering", said Ruslan Ilichov, the General Director of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine.

In addition, according to participants of the meeting, new markets for domestically produced goods would allow Ukraine to overcome crisis. Andrey Blinov, the economic expert, noted that in the last year, our state had lost its traditional markets for its own products. "There is a very small increase in the European market – about 7%, and thus a huge drop in the market of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which last year was USD 7 bln. And the results of this year the figure will be closer to USD 12 billion", said Andrey Blinov.

The AMU experts assured that they would take comments and suggestions of Ukrainian experts into account. These comments would concern not only reform program development, but also development of Ukraine's Reconstruction Fund, in which the AMU plans to raise USD 300 billion.

"I know a lot of investors who are interested in working in Ukraine for the restoration of the Ukrainian economy. But they will not come to a country where their money would not be protected", said Michael Shpindelleger, the President of the Agency the modernization of Ukraine.

During the summer of 2015, a series of debates and round table discussions with Ukrainian and international experts, policy makers and representatives of civil society will be held.

NOTE

The Agency for the modernization of Ukraine was founded in March 2015 by the Federation of Employers of Ukraine and Ukrainian trade unions, as well as famous European experts. The AMU to submit a plan of modernization of Ukraine in the autumn of this year.