Yushchenko Opens EU-Ukraine Summit

President Yushchenko (file photo) (epa) 1 December 2005 -- President Viktor Yushchenko opened a Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv today, at which the European Union is expected to announce it is ready to grant Ukraine the status of market economy.

This status will make it easier for Ukraine to trade with the bloc's 25 countries, and will also help Ukrainian producers avoid punitive EU anti-dumping duties in the future.

The European Commission, in a statement on 30 November, said the EU will announce that Ukraine has met the necessary criteria.

The statement said market economy status will be granted as soon as the remaining procedures have been completed.

This is the first summit bringing together Yushchenko and EU leaders since Ukraine's Orange Revolution one year ago.

(Interfax/AP)