NEWS

Since 28 October, Kyiv has moved closer to joining the single market due to the revision of the DCFTA—the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement. It has lowered quotas and tariffs on several goods, but required the gradual alignment of agricultural production standards with those of the EU. Nevertheless, the European Commission has put in place safeguard mechanisms to protect European agricultural markets and supply chains.
Originally, the DCFTA entered into force in 2016. Since 2014, they have considered it as one of the pillars of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Later, in 2022, an interim framework known as ATM, the “Autonomous Trade Measures“, replaced it, suspending pre-existing tariffs and barriers on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU and temporarily opening the single market to Kyiv for grains, corn, eggs, poultry, sugar, dairy products, and more.
They renewed the exceptional measures for three years, until June 2025. There are three pillars of the agreement: increased trade flows, alignment of production standards, and a “robust” safeguard clause. Brussels was aimed at striking a balance between further trade liberalization, providing Ukraine with the necessary support and protecting certain agricultural sectors in the Union.
Compared to the original agreement, the increases will remain “modest” for the most sensitive products (sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize, and honey).
Ukrainian goods will access more easily to the single market if Ukraine gradually aligns with EU production standards (animal welfare, the use of pesticides, and veterinary medicines).
Also, the DCFTA has designed safeguard mechanisms to protect European markets, in case of severe disruptions at the EU or national level.
Generally, Brussels assures that it has carefully calibrated “the concessions of additional preferential access to the Ukrainian market and has put in place the necessary safeguards, in particular for farmers in Kyiv’s neighboring countries.”
The 27 member states accepted the terms of the new agreement on 13 October. Nevertheless, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia introduced national bans on the import of certain agricultural products from Ukraine last spring. According to Hungarian Minister of Agriculture István Nagy, Budapest will maintain the ban, despite the DCFTA entering into force.
European Commission didn’t comment on the Orban government’s stance, trying to avoid speaking about this dangerous precedent. It is also lobbying capitals (particularly Paris) to approve another, much more ambitious free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

Source Link

Azerbaijan and Serbia signed a Roadmap to advance bilateral trade, investment, and energy projects on October 23, during the 9th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Belgrade. Azerbaijani Finance Ministers Sahil Babayev and Samir Sharifov, and Serbian Minister Nikola Selakovic emphasized regional connectivity, the Alat Free Economic Zone, Middle Corridor transport links, natural gas exports, SOCAR investments, and participation in EXPO 2027.
Orkhan Mammadov, the Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) of Azerbaijan, and Nikola Jankovic, the Director of the Serbian Development Agency, signed a roadmap to implement activities under the Memorandum of Understanding.
As Sahil Babayev noted, nine Serbian companies currently operate in Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijani construction firms take part in major highway projects in Serbia.
In his turn, Nikola Selakovic, the Minister of Culture of Serbia, expects the first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council between Azerbaijan and Serbia to have taken place by the end of 2025. He reminded about bilateral ties of strategic character that the 2013 Declaration of Strategic Partnership formalized, the 2018 Joint Action Plan, and the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Council. Azerbaijan also got an invitation to the EXPO 2027 Belgrade (May – August 2027).
Then, Azerbaijan’s Finance Minister Samir Sharifov and Serbia’s Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic had a one-on-one meeting focused on cooperation across multiple sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, healthcare, and education. According to Samir Sharifov, the personal friendship of Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Aleksandar Vucic reinforces the strategic partnership between the two nations. He also mentioned the supply of Azerbaijani natural gas to Serbia that started in January 2024, (around 300 million cubic meters to date), and the State Oil Fund’s $72.7 million investment in Serbia. Also, SOCAR, EPS, and Srbijagas collaborate on a 500 MW combined cycle power plant in Niš. They also discussed transport and green energy cooperation and the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. From his side, Selakovic appreciated Serbia’s support in international forums and its non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence.
Before participating in the Azerbaijan-Serbia Business Forum, public and private sector representatives attended a press conference. According to Sharifov, the results of the session defined future cooperation in alignment with the spirit of friendship and partnership between the two countries. He appreciated Azerbaijan’s transparent and diversified economic policy and the investment potential of the Alat Free Economic Zone and the Middle Corridor project. Sharifov said he was confident that the Azerbaijan-Serbia friendship and partnership would continue to strengthen.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

Source Link

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) says that Georgia’s foreign trade turnover, excluding unorganised trade, rose 9.1% year-on-year to $18.5 billion in January–September 2025.
As Georgian media report, imports into the country increased by 9.7% and reached $13.4 billion, and exports grew by 7.7% to $5.2 billion.
Georgia’s trade deficit attained $8.2 billion (up by 11%).
Copper ores and concentrates, ferroalloys, natural grape wines, spirits, mineral water, passenger cars, nitrogen fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, gold, timber, and various nuts were exported by Georgia.
Exports of precious metal ores and concentrates rose by 62.7%, sugar-containing mineral or carbonated waters – by 21.5%, passenger cars – by 13.7%, unprocessed or semi-processed gold – by13.4%, nitrogen fertilisers by 11.9%, and pharmaceuticals – by 7%. Nevertheless, exports of ferroalloys decreased by 32.7%, natural grape wines – by 11.5%, and spirits – by 4.7%.
Crude oil and petroleum products, passenger vehicles, petroleum gas and gaseous hydrocarbons, unprocessed carbon steel rods, medicines, mobile phones, trucks, computers and related components, vaccines, and blood and immunological sera were included in key imports.
Imports of works of art (paintings, drawings, and pastels) grew by 164,079.5%, medicines in packaging by10.3%, passenger cars by 9.9%, and petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons by7%.
Opposingly, downfall of imports of computers and related components attained 50.8%, unprocessed carbon steel rods – 28.8%, trucks – 24.4%, tobacco products – 5.5%, and crude oil and petroleum products – 1%.
Bilateral trade reaching $2.3 billion (12.2% of Georgia’s total foreign trade) made Türkiye Georgia’s top trading partner in January- September 2025. Azerbaijan, Germany, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and the United Kingdom were other major partners.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

Source Link

According to finance minister Sinisa Mali, U.S. have proposed Serbia to outline the framework of a trade agreement between the two countries, and Serbia is ready to continue further negotiations.
She recalled free trade agreements between Serbia and China, Egypt, the UAE signed last year and current negotiations with South Korea.
From his side, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a 10% baseline tariff on all exporters to the country. Duties on some 60 nations identified as having high barriers on imports from the U.S. are even higher. For example, tariff on imports from Serbia attained 37% in April 2024, but later it was reduced to 35%.
Data from Serbia’s statistics office report that Serbia exported to the U.S. goods worth 619.5 million euro ($725 million), and imported goods worth 683.7 million euro in 2024.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. exported $209.8 million worth of goods to Serbia and imported $814.2 million in 2024.
As data from Serbia’s chamber of commerce showed, tyres (123.7 million euro), uncategorised goods – including military equipment (109.6 million euro), motor parts (37.2 million euro), pet food (27.4 million euro), and ammunition (25 million euro), were products that Serbia exported the most to the U.S.in 2024.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

Source Link