Business Inform

8-19

Authors: Kyzym Mykola O., Matiushenko Ihor Yu., Berenda Serhii V., Yaroshenko Ihor V.

The article provides results of the study, the purpose of which was identification of ways of preservation of economic relations with the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia (CU) when executing the association agreement with the European Union (EU). It considers potential benefits for Ukraine from its joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO). It shows that there is asymmetry between old and new members of WTO in their obligations for opening markets. It underlines main directions of asymmetry between Ukraine and WTO. It proves that after Ukraine joined WTO there were significant reductions of tariff rates and liberalisation of access to the world markets for Ukrainian products, at the same time the domestic market of Ukraine became more open for imported products. The article conducts a comparative analysis of the tariff protection of Ukraine, Russian Federation and EU. It analyses changes in the structure of export and import of goods from Ukraine. It proves that the main gain of import supplies comes from CU countries after the country joined WTO. On the basis of the conducted study the article draws conclusions and offers recommendations on improvement of the current situation with respect to the structure of the Ukrainian export, foreign trade and customs sphere.