US suspends duty-free import of 155 types of goods from Ukraine
On April 26, the Office of the US Trade Representative suspended the operation of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for a portion of Ukrainian goods, as reported on Saturday by the Press Office of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.
The GSP allows for duty-free importation of over 3,500 types of goods from Ukraine into the United States.
155 types of goods fall under the restrictions, including some food products, light and woodworking industry, engineering, and electrical appliances.
"The Ministry of Economic Development is in constant dialogue with the US government and is working to resolve the problem," the Press Office noted.
At the same time, the Office stressed that the removal of these restrictions within the Generalized System of Preferences largely depends on the Verkhovna Rada’s adoption of draft law No. 7466, known as the draft law "On the Organization of Collective Management."
The purpose of the bill developed by the Ministry of Economic Development is "the establishment in Ukraine of an effective and transparent system of collective management of property rights in the field of copyright and related rights."
On March 1, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the draft law in the first reading. On April 19, MPs began consideration of the bill in the second reading and will continue its consideration at the following meetings.
The Office of the US Trade Representative reported on December 23, 2017 that US President Donald Trump had decided to suspend the duty-free regime for a number of goods manufactured in Ukraine.
According to Trump, Kyiv carries out "insufficient" protection of intellectual property rights.
"Ukraine’s partial suspension from GSP stems from its failure to provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPR)…The President has decided to provide 120 days’ notice in this case because the Government of Ukraine has a viable path to remedy the situation," the report said.