Ukrainian, Polish PMs say trade should be mutually beneficial

MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - Trade should be balanced and mutually beneficial for agricultural producers of Poland and Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported, citing a joint statement by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

"We have launched a bilateral dialogue on European integration, which should be developed in the form of regular working sectoral consultations between the relevant ministries concerned in order to help bolster Ukraine's institutional readiness for EU accession talks and support Ukraine's gradual integration into the EU internal market," a joint statement by Shmygal and Tusk on the results of Polish-Ukrainian intergovernmental consultations says.

The parties also affirmed that trade liberalization measures should be shaped in such a way as to have a positive impact on the economies of Poland and other EU member states, as well as Ukraine, while not destabilizing their markets. Jointly developed mechanisms should monitor the stability of trade, taking into account the changing security situation in Ukraine.

The two prime ministers also acknowledged that trade should be balanced and mutually beneficial for agricultural producers in Poland and Ukraine.

"We emphasized that both sides have already made a lot of efforts to establish fair rules for agricultural trade between Poland and Ukraine, and that further effective dialogue based on mutual understanding is needed," the statement said.

Among other things, they agreed to take further steps in seeking mutually beneficial solutions, such as verification and control system for agricultural trade.

"We reaffirmed our readiness to conclude an agreement on the enforcement of controls at joint border checkpoints and cooperation between supervisory authorities, once approved by the EU Commission, with the aim of launching the exchange of logistical data at specific road checkpoints in order to create and support a transport network that meets needs, including through the implementation of coordinated infrastructure projects," the statement said.