The second meeting of Ukrainian – Belgian intergovernmental mixed committee on trade-economic and financial cooperation, headed by Deputy Minister of economic development and trade of Ukraine Volodymyr Bandurov and by Secretary General of Ministry of foreign affairs, foreign trade and development cooperation of Belgium Dirk Ahten, took place on 31 May 2012, in Brussels. Ambassador of Ukraine to Belgium Ihor Dolhov and Ambassador of Belgium to Ukraine Jana Zikmundova, representatives of governmental and business circles of Ukraine and Belgium participated at the meeting.

In the framework of the meeting the Parties discussed wide range of issues of bilateral trade-economic and investment cooperation.

Namely, the sides stressed the importance to continue bilateral cooperation in industrial and scientific and technical spheres, underlined the existence of large potential for cooperation in the spheres of machinery building, energy and environmental protection, as well as discussed the existing possibilities for cooperation in agriculture.

A special emphasis was made on the prospects for cooperation in spheres of transport and logistics. In this context the Parties noted mutual interest of Belgian and Ukrainian sea ports for further development of cooperation, which is being demonstrated by mutual technical missions and by regular participation of Ukrainian representatives in study programs of Antwerp port study center. They also stressed the necessity to continue bilateral cooperation in the sphere of truck transportations, namely in the framework of “Pan European transporting network” program.

Parties discussed practical questions of cooperation in the customs sphere. Ukrainian side expressed interest in studying of Belgian experience in issuing of electronic certificates of origin.

During the meeting the Parties also discussed ways to improve conditions of mutual trade and investment cooperation. Belgian side made the presentation of candidature of the city of Liege for holding of the international exhibition “World Expo 2017”.

The meeting resulted in signing of Communiqué of the second Ukrainian-Belgian intergovernmental mixed committee on trade-economic and financial cooperation.