Recent contacts on the highest level (2008 – 2011):

 

The Ukrainian – Greek intergovernmental joint Working Group on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation (the 5^th session took place in Athens on 13 July 2011).

In 2011, the below consulting events were conducted on the level of the Ministries of foreign affairs of Ukraine and the Hellenic Republic:

-         political consultations of 14 March 2011;

-         policy and security consultations of 20 May 2011;

-         European integration issues consultations of 6 July 2011.

 

 

 

Key treaties: Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, Agreement on Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation, Agreement on Military Cooperation, Agreement on Cultural Cooperation, Agreement on Legal Assistance in Civil Cases, Agreement on Facilitation and Mutual Protection of Investments, Double Taxation Agreement.

Important agreement to be signed: Agreement on Mutual Protection of Confidential Information in the field of Defense, Agreement on Air Communications, Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministries of Justice of Ukraine and Greece.

 

Greece is a crucial foreign partner for Ukraine in the South Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean region. In 2010, experts noted increase of the mutual trade of goods and services between Ukraine and Greece (by 27% compared to 2009, and up to USD 372 mln.)

During the first six months of 2011, the bilateral trade of goods and services amounted to USD 293,5 mln., which exceeded the amount for the same period on 2010 by 31,3% (USD 70,1 mln). The export of Ukrainian goods and services into Greece amounted to USD 222,5 mln. (increase by 92,5% compared to the same period in 2010), the import grew by 48,5% (USD 70,1 mln.). The balance in trade of goods and services for this period is positive for Ukraine
(USD 151,5 mln.).

According to the information of the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine, during the first six months of 2011, among the goods exported from Ukraine into Greece mostly were iron industry goods (40% of the total export), energy materials (33%), plant and animal fats and oils (12%), seeds (7%).

During the first six months of 2011, among the goods imported from Greece into Ukraine mostly were fruits and nuts (17,6%), nuclear reactors, boilers, machines (13,8%), chemical (10,6%) and pharmaceutical (9,7%) products, copper and copper goods (6,5%), tobacco (6,1%), vegetables processing goods (5,8%), plastic and polymer materials (4,8%), aluminum and aluminum goods (4,2%), timber and timber goods (3,0%).

 According to the information of the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine, as of 1 April 2011 Greece invested USD 328 mln. into Ukrainian economy which is 0,7% of the total direct foreign investments in Ukraine. 117 Greek-based companies have been incorporated in Ukraine. As per the first six months of 2011, the Hellenic investments increased by USD 534,000, including USD 350,000 at the processing industry. The financial activities (USD 306 mln. or 93,2% of the total amount of the Hellenic investments into Ukrainian economy) and construction activities (USD 9 mln. or 2,6% of the total amount) continue to be the most attractive sectors for the Hellenic investments.

The following branches have prospect for further development in cooperation: transport, energy sector, tourism, agriculture, ship building and increase of the Ukrainian export into Greece.

 

Ukrainian community in Greece includes 30 000 persons approximately, while as of September 2011 four communities of Ukrainians have been officially registered. Under the Hellenic laws, foreigners who received their residence permits in Greece enjoy all civil rights (except for employment in state authorities, right to be elected, military service). Ukrainians who stay legally in Greece are not limited in their cultural, social, informational, educational and language rights. On 6 March 2010, a monument to T.G. Shevchenko was opened at one of the central districts of Athens. The optional and Saturday schools of Ukrainian are opened at the communities “Ukrainsko-gretska dumka” and “Beregynia”.

 

For many years, Ukrainian children, including orphans, go to Greece for their health improvement free of charge. This became possible under the patronage of Municipality of Athens, municipalities of other cities of Greece, church communities. In particular, during the last 15 years more than 3500 Ukrainian orphans went to Greece thanking to support of the dean of the Monastery of Jesus Christ’s Transfiguration of Sagmation at the Metropolis of Thebes and Levadeia, archimandrite Nectarios Antonopoulos. On 5 – 16 September 2011, Greece hosted a group of children from the families of miners from “Sukhodilska” and “Bazhanova” mines who were killed or injured during the accident of 29 July 2011.