Today, October 1, 2026, the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Turkey has officially entered into force. This document opens up new economic opportunities for domestic exporters, who can already start actively utilizing the tariff preferences and preferential conditions provided by the agreement.
Key Parameters and Mechanism of Action
The free trade regime applies to a wide range of goods covering chapters 01 to 97 of the Harmonized System of Description and Coding of Goods, provided their Ukrainian or Turkish origin is confirmed. Depending on the specific product category, tariff schedules provide for either a full exemption from duties or the application of significantly reduced rates.
Asymmetry of Implementation Timelines
An important feature of the agreement's launch is the differing timelines for introducing preferential regimes for the two countries. For Ukrainian exports to Turkey, preferential conditions and duty cancellations have been in effect since today, October 1, 2026. Meanwhile, for the import of Turkish products into Ukraine, analogous mechanisms of duty reduction or complete abolition will officially begin applying only on January 1, 2027.
Rules for Origin Verification
To successfully use the preferential regime, exporting companies are required to document the origin of the goods. The primary tools for this are the EUR.1 goods movement certificate or a special origin declaration. The latter can be drawn up either by an authorized exporter within the framework of the Pan-Euro-Med Convention or issued for batches of goods with a total value not exceeding 6,000 euros.
Background and Strategic Significance
As a reminder, the historic free trade agreement was signed by Ukraine and Turkey back in 2022. Following the completion of all necessary domestic procedures, the document was successfully ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and signed by the head of state. According to diplomats and experts, this agreement is designed to significantly strengthen trade and economic ties between the two nations and create a solid foundation for mutually beneficial partnership.
