Remembering Anna Kisil

It is with great sadness and grief, we acknowledge the passing into eternity of a charming and kind woman, caring mother, excellent organizer, and a person of a big heart – Anna Kisil.

Her life was full of outstanding achievements; everything she touched transformed into a success. Neither business projects nor community events that Panni Anna worked on had any chance of failure.

Anna Kisil was a longstanding leader and voice for Ukrainian newcomers to Canada and women’s associations, an active member of Ukrainian Canadian Congress, World Ukrainian Congress and Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce. Her tireless work for the benefit of the Ukrainian community in Canada and Ukraine was noticed and recognized by both countries’ governments.

No words may fully express the overwhelming grief due to the loss of a remarkable human, who Anna Kisil undoubtedly was and she will forever remain in our hearts.

We express our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones and mourn with you.

May her memory be eternal.

U CAN EXPORT: F.A.Q.

Want to export to Canada, but do not know where to start? We have prepared the answers to the most frequent questions exporters ask us.

I would like to join the export support program U CAN Export? What should I do?

The CUTIS project has now completed the selection of the first wave of the U CAN EXPORT Export Support Program participants in four priority sectors: clothing, footwear, furniture, and confectionery. The final stage of selection of participants from the IT services sector will take place in the spring of 2018.

The selected participants, with the support of Canadian industry consultants, are preparing to participate in exhibitions in Canada throughout 2018. Applicants who were not selected were included in the reserve of the participants of the U CAN EXPORT program. They will have a chance to take part in an integrated level of the program in the future, as well as take advantage of all the opportunities of its educational/consultational level. The rotation of the companies will take place after the project’s cooperation with the current program participants will be completed.

If your company is not among selected ones but wishes to enter the U CAN Export Support Program, please fill out a short application form here. The selection of companies from the reserve will be conducted on a competitive basis, by filling out special questionnaires, interviewing company representatives and visiting applicants’ production (if needed).

After completing the application, your company will also be included in the CUTIS project exporter database and will receive information and training materials, invitations to trainings and other project activities.

My company is not in the priority sectors. What should I do?

For companies in all other sectors, we have developed a step-by-step export guide to Canada I CAN EXPORT. It covers most of the issues faced by exporters, such as:

  • consumer preferences of Canadians
  • search for partners in Canada
  • the procedure of crossing the border and the requirements for the documentation
  • regulatory constraints on the Canadian market
  • logistics, etc.

Also, our project is currently developing an export portal with useful information for Ukrainian exporters.

We encourage you to subscribe to our Facebook page, where we constantly publish interesting information on trade with Canada and announce all our events. You can also subscribe to our e-mail newsletter.

I want to get a comprehensive help to enter the Canadian market. Who should I contact?

Unfortunately, our project does not have the resources to systematically help all the companies that contact us. However, there are other organizations that have a lot of experience in helping Ukrainian companies to enter the Canadian market.

For example, you can contact the Canadian-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (CUCC), which is a partner in implementing our project. CUCC has been supporting trade and investment development between Canada and Ukraine for more than 25 years and has offices in Toronto, Alberta and Ukraine. The Chamber organizes business forums, trade missions and conferences in Canada, promotes business contacts between the two countries, has partnerships with Governments of Canada and Ukraine, and provides a wide range of assistance services for Ukrainian exports to Canada.

Follow CUCC on Facebook

Programs and Resources

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON EXPORTING TO CANADA I CAN EXPORT SECOND EDITION

The Free Trade Agreement with Canada creates countless opportunities for proactive Ukrainian exporters.

So it’s time to say “I CAN Export!” and start your export journey to Canada.

To help Ukrainian businesses find the information they need to enter the Canadian market, Canada-Ukraine Trade and Investment Support project (CUTIS) in cooperation with Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and Export Promotion Office prepared second and updated edition “I CAN EXPORT” step-by-step export guide for small and medium enterprises.

This guide aims to provide comprehensive technical information in a jargon-free manner to Ukrainian SMEs on how to export their products to the Canadian market.

This publication seeks to address some of the preconceived ideas that you may have on cross-border procedures and documentation requirements, legislative constraints, transportation options, and the Canadian market itself.

To download the guide, click on the picture below or fill in the small registration form. Once completed, you will automatically receive a link to download the publication, and will be included in the newsletter about educational and business events related to exporting to Canada.

For anyone interested in exporting to Canada, we also recommend paying attention to the “Public Procurement Canada: Getting Started” guide, developed by the Export Promotion Office’s GPAinUA project.

EXPORT SUPPORT PROGRAM U CAN EXPORT

Updated! Deadline extended until July, 23, 2017.

We are glad to announce a call for Ukrainian small and medium businesses to enter the Canada-Ukraine export support program U CAN Export in the priority sectors:

  • IT Services
  • clothing
  • shoes
  • furniture
  • chocolate and confectionery

Priorities were identified as a result of a thorough analysis of the Canadian and Ukrainian markets – more at: https://cutisproject.org/en/news/five-priorities/

Export Support Program will be implemented by CUTIS project in partnership with the Ministry of economic development and trade Export Promotion Office. It is designed for three years and has several levels:

  • comprehensive – for a limited number of small and medium businesses, most promising and ready for export;
  • educational/consultational – for other companies in priority sectors, interested in entering the Canadian market;
  • іnformational – for a wide range of companies interested in the Canadian market;

Сomprehensive level will include the following activities:

  • Co-financing participating in specialized exhibitions and other marketing activities in Canada and the US
  • Individual consulting and support from experienced industry consultants from Canada and Ukraine on accessing and promoting your goods/services on the Canadian market
  • Organization of business meetings with potential customers in Canada
  • Organizing trade missions to Canada and co-financing businesses’ participation in those
  • Access to educational programs and materials

To enter the selection companies must meet the following requirements:

  • Be registered in Ukraine, and not be in a state of bankruptcy or liquidation
  • Be a manufacturer of clothing, shoes, furniture, chocolate and confectionery or provider of IT services
  • To have up to 500 officially registered workers
  • Have experience in exporting/supplying products to retailers (no minimum volume limits) OR domestic sales of over 5 million hryvnias a year
  • The share of Ukraine ultimate beneficial owners of the enterprise must be more than 50%
  • Be prepared to co-finance the costs of participation in exhibitions, trade missions and other marketing activities in Canada or the US
  • Fluent in English to communicate with customers, partners, consultants in Canada or the US

Women-owned or managed enterprises are encouraged to participate. Applications of such companies will be prioritized as CUTIS project aims to achieve gender balance among owners and managers participating in the export support program.

Companies that meet the above criteria and wish to enter the U CAN Export export support program must complete an application form at: http://bit.ly/UCANexport. Applications will be accepted until July 23rd.

We will continue to cooperate with all the proactive companies that are willing to work systematically on accessing the Canadian market. To reach us e-mail: office@cutisproject.org

Key business developments ahead for Ukraine in 2018

By Bermet Talant
Here are the Kyiv Post’s picks for some of the most exciting deals and events coming in the first half of 2018:

4G spectrum auction

The faster 4G — a dream for Ukrainian mobile operators and their customers — may soon come true. The state regulator finally set the date for the auction on the 1800 MHz spectrum, which includes the frequency ranges between 1710–1785 MHz and 1805–1880 MHz. The auction is scheduled for Feb. 26.

Ukraine launched 3G only three years, more than a decade behind European Union countries. But local providers — Kyivstar, lifecell, and Vodafone — are ready to roll out 4G.

New link with Europe

The Beskydy railway tunnel connecting Ukraine with Europe will be open in May, Ukraine state railway company Ukrzaliznytsya announced. The 1,822-meter long tunnel is a section of the fifth Pan-European transport corridor connecting western Ukraine with Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Slovakia. It will boost Ukraine’s trade capacity with the European Union.

New fashion brands

The first store of long-awaited Swedish retailer H&M will open in Kyiv’s Lavina Mall in spring. Leading Turkish retailer DeFacto plans to enter the Ukrainian market with a store in Odesa’s Riviera mall, company vice president Serdar Ersoy told the Retailers Association of Ukraine.

Chornobyl solar plant

The first solar power plant in Chornobyl exclusion zone is being prepared for launch within weeks, Yevgen Varyagin, the head of the Ukrainian-German company Solar Chernobyl, told Agence-France Presse. Located 100 meters away from the new Safe Confinement, installed in 2016, a one-megawatt power plant with about 3,800 photovoltaic solar panels can cover needs of about 2,000 households. Chornobyl zone’s state administration received 60 proposals from foreign companies including Chinese, Danish and American interested in solar developments in the exclusion zone

More flights

A new Ukrainian budget airline SkyUp will start flying in April. The company promises affordable charter flights from four Ukrainian cities to 16 foreign destinations in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Albania, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

In addition, Bulgaria Air launches a direct flight Kyiv – Sofia in February, and Air Malta will start flying to four Ukrainian cities in April. And a Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air keeps expanding its presence in Ukraine, adding Kharkiv to its list. The company also announced two new flights from Lviv to Dortmund starting from March 26 and to London’s Luton airport from May 1.

Privatization start

Sumy-based chemical producing plant Sumykhimprom will be put on sale in February for Hr 248.8 million ($8.7 million). Although 99.99 percent of the plant belongs to the Ukrainian government, it is de facto controlled by oligarch Dmytro Firtash’s companies, according to a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty investigation. In total, the State Property Fund plans to sell its stakes in some 100 enterprises for Hr 22.5 billion, or $773 million, this year.

 

Source: Kyiv Post

CUCC Statement on RES sector in Ukraine

  1. After the Revolution of dignity Government of Ukraine adopted new approach to attract direct foreign investments into renewable energy sector of Ukraine. It offered attractive tariffs on produced solar, wind, hydro and bio energy. This led to more than 5 bln USD investments into this sector from abroad with more than 4 bln USD invested over last two years. These funds where one of a pillars of direct foreign investments into Ukraine.

This being said, in 2020 from March to July Government of Ukraine (Guaranteed buyer) has not been keeping up with its commitments and paid out less than 5% of the total value of produced energy. Moreover, Government intended to retroactively make changes to the green tariffs.

In June 2020 RES sector companies, business associations and Government of Ukraine conducted a public dialogue which led to compromise deal under which green tariffs where lowered. Government committed to pay out all outstanding debts in few installments and continue to pay newly agreed tariff on a regular basis. Law on this matter became affective at the beginning of August. Nevertheless, payments made by the Government in August and September where only partial. What we see is regrettably non-compliance of the Ukrainian Government with its own commitments and obligations.

We urge Government of Ukraine and respective state authorities to address their attention to this and sort out a way to pay remaining debts out. By being able to stand by commitments Ukraine will demonstrate its devotion to principles of open and transparent business conditions as well as meet its deals with foreign investors.

  • Another point Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce would like to make is problems that one of our members – TIU Canada is facing.

According to information that was provided to the Chamber one out of four TIU Canada solar plants was disconnected from the electricity grid by Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant. This was made even though Ukrainian law does not allow to disconnect electricity producer from the power grid without its consent. TIU Ukraine and its parental company Refraction Asset Management are seeking immediate reconnection and may bring legal action in Ukraine and Canada to hold the party responsible for disconnection accountable and compensate losses.

TIU Canada is one of the first big Canadian investors in Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi praised the company during the meeting with Economic Club of Canada in the course of his first visit to Canada in July 2019. The President called interested parties to follow an example of TIU Canada and invest in Ukraine.

Undoubtedly TIU Ukraine is a great example of successful direct foreign investment in Ukraine’s RES sector. Company produces and delivers its customers safe and clean power, conducts business transparently and socially responsible. Therefore, we call on the Office of the President and Government of Ukraine to take notice of this situation and keep facilitating and protecting foreign investments in Ukraine. We are willing to organize and conduct a meeting between Government of Ukraine and TIU Canada representatives to discuss the matter and find ways of resolving this issue.

Проект CUTIS та Канадсько-українська торгова палата (CUCC)

Проект CUTIS та Канадсько-українська торгова палата (CUCC) запрошують взяти активну участь у віртуальному круглому столі за участю провідних міжнародних експертів, а також українських компаній, що мають досвід співпраці з канадським бізнесом. Головна мета заходу – надати українському малому та середньому бізнесу практичні рекомендації щодо впровадження відповідальних бізнес практик, які допоможуть вибудувати міцні та взаємовигідні стосунки із канадськими байєрами. Дата: 20 жовтня
Час: 15:00 – 16:30Марія Гузман, провідна експертка ринку одягу Офісу з просування експорту Канади (TFO Canada), поділиться своїм досвідом виводу на канадський ринок компаній, що знаходилися на різних етапах впровадження політик корпоративної соціальної відповідальності (КСВ). З виступу Марії Ви дізнаєтесь:
• Як побудувати довіру та тривалі ділові відносини з канадськими імпортерами?
• Які особливості побудови успішного бізнесу в Канаді?
• Як правильно спілкуватися з канадськими байєрами та яких моментів варто уникати: практичні приклади Майкл Хопкінс (Michael Hopkins), співзасновник та член Інституту відповідального лідерства (Лондон), акцентує увагу учасників на важливості впровадження відповідальних бізнес практик в сегменті FMCG (споживчі товари). Ви дізнаєтесь:
• Які три фактори вибору партнера є визначальними для північноамериканського бізнесу?
• Які ризики для українського бізнесу несе ігнорування політик КСВ?
• Яким чином впровадження КСВ допомагає диференціювати бренд при виході на нові ринки? Ольга Шпепа, координаторка проекту CUTIS, розповість про основні уроки, що отримали українські підприємці, які в рамках проекту виходили на ринок Канади. Як компанії адаптувалися до викликів канадського ринку?Провідні українські виробники-експортери поділяться власним досвідом виходу на світові ринки.На завершення, Емма Турос, голова Канадсько-української торгової палати в Україні, розповість про сервіси CUCC для компаній, що зацікавлені в канадському ринку. Мова заходу: українська/англійська (забезпечуємо синхронний переклад).Реєстрація за посиланням (до 19 жовтня, 18.00) https://bit.ly/2SwRI4kПідтвердження та посилання на вебінар будуть надіслані 20 жовтня

“NOT a woman’s business”

Sometimes it’s hard to get rid of the cliché that there are traditional “male” and “female” professions. According to HR agencies, sectors such as construction, IT, energetics, heavy industry and mechanical engineering, defence and security, metallurgical industry, surgery, shipping, and mining are usually managed by men. The “traditionally female” profession fields include HR, statistics, accounting, education, sales management, communications, art, psychology, and media.

Who would you imagine a metallurgical company is managed by? A charismatic man wearing a tailored suit and a tie. Apparently, 90% of the metallurgical enterprise managers look like that, but not the Energosteel manager…

Allow me to introduce Ms. Liudmyla Kravets, a successful businesswoman.

 

Liudmyla reveals us her own secrets of success: “Half of our top managers are women. They got their posts thanks to their professional qualities, experience, and ability to make managerial decisions.” Ms. Kravets believes that such a management structure brings more harmony and higher efficiency. Thanks to effective management Energosteel is the second ranked Ukrainian company in the manufacture of steel grinding balls and is successfully competing with metallurgical giants within the industry. Moreover, the company is a successful exporter to neighboring countries, Europe, Latin America, along with exploring the US and Canadian markets.

Gender equality research shows that companies managed by women are more profitable. The metallurgical industry is facing new challenges and an employment crisis. More and more heavy industry companies are transforming outdated approaches to recruitment and persistently looking for women with professional education. Canada is among the countries which actively support and promote women’s entrepreneurship, and works on a diversity principal basis. Why companies have changed their recruitment strategies? It’s important to emphasize a woman’s role in this process. Women are more adaptable by nature. They usually go with their gut feeling, combining their high emotional intelligence with attention to details and capacity for work.

More information about Energosteel achievements and its team is available at http://ukraine-trade-and-investment-portal.com/energosteel/

Canada and Ukraine are expanding cooperation in the ICT Industry

Canada and Ukraine are expanding cooperation in the ICT Industry and we hope that the next revision of the CUFTA (Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement) will include trade in services and investments. In the last two years, the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine took an active part in our major ICT show Lviv IT Arena, the largest tech conference in Ukraine and Eastern Europe IT ARENA. Canada is the only country that is allowed to have its national program within the frameworks of this event.

The Embassy of Canada to Ukraine – Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (Canadian TCS) in partnership with Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce (https://www.cucc.ca/) and Canada-Ukraine Trade & Investment Support Project (CUTIS Project) invites you to participate in the

Canada Program @ Lviv IT Arena – the largest Eastern European and leading Ukrainian IT Forum going 100% online on 8-10 Oct 2020

  The registration gives access to all Conference’s activities including participation in the Canadian MeetUp.

We have secured FREE access for all Canadian participants:

  • Between 6,000 – 10,000 qualified international participants from several continents
  • A two-screen custom-built App to maximize experience & B2B networking (similar to Web Summit’s Collision From Home stream+meetings engine)
  • Renown speakers in all 4 conference Tracks: Business, Product, Technologies and Start-ups
  • Exclusive B2B, B2C concierge service for all participating Canadian companies*
  • “Canadian Meet-Up” 60min event on Day 3 of the Forum – a great chance to dive into big picture Canada-Ukraine relations and local IT ecosystem dynamics**
  • Excellent ‘podium’ for engaging with creative, entrepreneurial, dynamic, socially active middle-class Ukrainian and international ICT audience
  • For reference: latest speakers line-up  here (added daily) and last year’s Arena’s aftermovie

Please, register by filling this typeform – get advance access to exclusive B2B/B2C matchmaking! 

Canadian TCS in Kyiv and partners look forward to seeing your name on the list. Your success matters, as we continue to level up bilateral ICT commercial, STI and investment collaboration – please stay tuned***

*The App will allow you to follow speeches, chat, to create chats based on shared interests. A separate group for B2B matchmaking will be set up.

** Canadian Meet-Up will be streamed in a talk-show fun and engaging format and will feature business, politics, STI industry and government speakers.

***Stay tuned for a follow up online event we shall put up in the next 4-6 months. Meanwhile, I attach an outstanding snapshot of the local IT market, courtesy of N-iX.