The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation joined government leaders, international organisations, businesses and civil society representatives at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2026) in Gdańsk on 25–26 June to discuss opportunities for scaling up digital trade reforms in support of Ukraine’s economic recovery.
The annual conference serves as a platform to mobilise international support for Ukraine’s reconstruction, and to turn ideas into concrete partnerships and projects by bringing together a variety of actors.
On the sidelines of URC2026, Alliance Director Philippe Isler and Solomiia Starosolska, Head of the Digitalisation Office at the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP), met with Denys Bashlyk, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, as well as other senior representatives of government, business and civil society to discuss the next phase of Ukraine’s digital transformation agenda and opportunities to expand collaboration, building on the Alliance’s ongoing project with the SSUFSCP to digitalise agri-food trade procedures.
Participants also discussed how digital services and joint initiatives can facilitate trade, improve the business environment and align Ukraine’s public services with European best practices.
A key focus was the continued development of Ukraine’s eFood initiative, a digital ecosystem that will bring together public services for food and agricultural operators on a single online platform. The initiative aims to simplify administrative procedures, improve data exchange between government systems and reduce the burden on businesses, making trade faster, more transparent and more efficient.
“Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable commitment to advancing trade reforms despite extraordinarily challenging circumstances,” said Alliance Director Philip Isler. “Our continued partnership with SSUFSP reflects our shared ambition to l streamline regulatory procedures, strengthen transparency and make it easier for businesses to trade.”
Solomiia Starosolska added, “URC2026 is more than a conference. It is a place where digital ideas find partners, and strategic initiatives become real projects. We are pleased to have discussed the next phase of the eFood project and future cooperation with the Alliance. These partnerships help create modern digital services that simplify interactions between businesses and government while bringing Ukraine closer to European best practices.”
The Alliance has been working with Ukrainian partners since 2023 to support digital trade reforms that increase transparency, simplify border procedures and create a more predictable trading environment for businesses. Building on the momentum of URC2026, the Alliance will continue working together with Ukraine to develop practical, business-led solutions that facilitate trade, support economic recovery and contribute to long-term development.
