Inversió estrangera directa (IED) a Ucraïna

FDI in Figures

On February 24th 2022, Russia initiated a military conflict on the Ukrainian territory, which profoundly upsets the current political and economic context in both countries and will have substantial ramifications on the investment climate. For the ongoing updates on the developments of Russia-Ukraine conflict please consult the dedicated pages on BBC News.

According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2021, FDI flows to Ukraine decreased by about USD 7 billion in 2020, turning into net disinvestment (- USD 868 million), because of the combined effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, macroeconomic problems and geopolitical tensions. FDI stocks in Ukraine had already declined as Russian investors had withdrawn much of their assets. The stock of FDI was about USD 49 billion in 2020. Reinvested earnings were particularly responsive to uncertainties in the economic environment. Mining, manufacturing, trade and financial services were some of the activities most hit by the recession. Food, beverage and tobacco production, and information and communication, by contrast, were among the few industries that avoided the decline. According to the National Bank of Ukraine data, FDI stock as of the end of September 2021 amounted to USD 65.4 billion. Notwithstanding the difficult economic environment, a project finance agreement has been signed with Chinese investors to develop the USD 1 billion, 800 MW onshore wind farm in Donetsk. In the manufacturing sector, the largest new foreign investment was in Kostal (Germany), a USD 170m project to produce automotive components. Generally, investments are made in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, mining, financial services and real estate. The main investors in Ukraine are Cyprus, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and the UK. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 is expected to deeply and lastingly deteriorate business climate. Insecurity, political and economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and infrastructure destruction will likely lead to massive capital outflows.

In addition to political instability, investors pointed out before the war that the underlying inefficiency and corruption in the justice system were among the main obstacles to investment. Other serious obstacles are the complexity of laws and regulations, poor compliance with contracts and poor governance. Despite administrative difficulties, Ukraine remains an attractive investment destination for numerous reasons: the country has a large internal market, proven agricultural potential, energy and mineral resources and a strategic geographic location, making it a transit hub and a gateway to Europe and Eurasia. In addition, the current government appears to have been actively engaged in reforming the investment climate. In June 2018, a new law aimed at more transparency entered into force, and in 2021, new tax reductions, import customs duties exemptions, preferential land ownership rights, as well as measures to improve the rule of the law were introduced. A National Strategy to increase FDI, developed by EY, was also adopted. The country has progressed regularly and significantly on the investment climate indicators of the World Bank's Doing Business index. Ukraine ranks 64th (out of 190 economies) in the Doing Business 2020 report, gaining 7 places compared to the previous year. Progress has been made in obtaining building permits, connection to electricity, protection of minority investors and cross-border trade. To attract more FDI inflows, Ukraine has simplified and reduced the costs of the registration procedure for representative offices of foreign business entities.

What to consider if you invest in Ukraine

Strong Points

The key assets of the Ukrainian economy in terms of FDI include:

• Strategic geographical position, the country being located at the gates of Europe, Russia and Asia
• Abundant natural resources (iron ore and manganese reserves) and a large agricultural industry (55% of arable land)
• Strong international financial support from global institutions (IMF, World Bank, EU) and through bilateral agreements
• Association and Free Trade Agreement with the European Union (2016) which gives Ukraine preferential market access
• One of the largest markets in Europe with 44 million consumers and the emerging middle class
• Skilled and inexpensive workforce
• Good education system (large number of qualified specialists in the high-tech sector)
• Low level of private debt

Weak Points

The weak points of the Ukrainian economy in terms of FDI include: 

• High geopolitical risk and political instability severly aggravated by the escalation of the confict with Russia (large scale military invasion of Ukraine launched by Russia at the end of February 2022)  
• A weakly diversified economy which is highly dependent on Russia (its main trading partner and natural gas supplier) with which it has been in conflict since the 2014 crisis in Crimea and Donbass regions)
• Unstable economy, characterised by a high rate of inflation and exchange rate vulnerability
• Weak legal framework and business environment (endemic corruption, monopolies, weak property rights, inefficient public services)
• High public debt level (especially external debt)
• Declining demographics, regional inequalities, high level of poverty and of the informal sector

Government Measures to Motivate or Restrict FDI

In recent years, Ukraine has been trying to improve its business climate and attract foreign investors, as confirmed by the dozen laws passed by the government of President Zelenskyy in this regards, including several incentive programs (including a 5-year tax exemption for investments over USD 10 million in large-scale privatization projects, loans with reduced interest rates for SMEs, the collaboration of a government manager for investments over USD 100 million, higher depreciation rates for fixed assets, etc.). In 2020 the government restated that attracting investment is a top priority.
UkraineInvest is the national investment promotion agency that works as a one-stop-shop for investors.

Bilateral investment conventions signed by Ukraine

To see the list of investment treaties signed by Ukraine, consult UNCTAD's International Investment Agreements Navigator.

Find out more about Investment Service Providers in Ukraine on GlobalTrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.