The European Parliament approved the expansion of trade preferences for Kiev to "support the economic development of Ukraine". This was reported by the press service of the legislative body of the European Union.

The corresponding decision was made on Tuesday, July 4, during the plenary session in support of the agreements reached in June at the meeting of the Committee of Representatives of EU countries. For it voted 566 deputies, against there were 96.

"The EU offers timely support to Ukraine, while taking care of the problems of our farmers. Granting new preferences, we want to support the ongoing reforms, strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and provide the necessary impetus to increase trade flows, "stressed the deputy of the European Parliament from the European People's Party Jaroslaw Walesa.

Legislators supported the "package decision" by approving new concessions, but at the same time reducing the amount of additional quotas for a number of agricultural products, including tomatoes and wheat.

The new norms will come into effect after they are approved by the EU Council.

The proposal supplements the provisions on trade already introduced in accordance with the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement signed in 2014. January 1, 2016 entered into force agreements on a free trade zone between Brussels and Kiev. Then the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine said that this measure eliminated 97 percent of tariffs on Ukrainian goods and should lead to a decrease in the average tariff for Ukrainian exports from 7.5 to 0.5 percent.