On August 15, during a government meeting, a resolution was adopted that changes the mechanism of customs clearance for goods subject to licensing under the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the Republic of North Macedonia.

"With the adoption of this document, we are fully launching the updated Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and North Macedonia, which was ratified in the spring. An important achievement for Ukraine in connection with the Agreement is North Macedonia's accession to the Pan-Euro-Med Regional Convention, which establishes identical rules of origin for goods, and the EUR.1 Movement Certificate, confirming the status of preferential origin of goods. Additionally, Ukrainian agrarians will gain greater access to European markets, as they will have the opportunity to use components from products manufactured in North Macedonia for goods to be sold in the EU," stated Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine and Trade Representative of Ukraine.

This trade liberalization with North Macedonia strengthens the positions of Ukrainian producers in European and global value chains.

The adopted resolution, among other things, changes the mechanism for customs clearance of agricultural products. Henceforth, subjects of foreign economic activity do not need to obtain licenses for importing goods from the Republic of North Macedonia within the tariff quota. The distribution of tariff quotas under the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the Republic of North Macedonia will be carried out by customs authorities on a "first come, first served" principle.