The non-profit organization Družba Slovensko - Ukrajina was founded in 2013 in response to a strong demand for support of trade cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine. Behind the establishment of this organization is bottom-up initiative - coming directly from business entities, employers and their legal representatives on both sides of the border.

Activities of Družba Slovakia - Ukraine, n.o. under the project Družba Slovensko - Ukrajina, which was funded by the Norwegian Government through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and co-financed from the state budget of the Slovak Republic under the Program SK08 - Cross-border Cooperation - „Slovensko – Ukrajina: Spolupráca naprieč hranicou“ are also supported by city of Košice and Košice self governing region. Project has as well strong political support on the Ukrainian side of the border.

Ukraine is considered as our important economic partner (transit of energy carriers and supply of raw materials commodities for the Slovak economy). Despite the fact that Ukraine is the largest neighboring country of Slovakia, the volume of mutual trade is four times smaller as it is with other neighbors (Hungary, Poland, Austria) and up to 10 times smaller than the trade exchange between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Natural wealth, cultural affinity and mutual geographic connections represent a valuable potential for cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine. Slovakia can play a key role in bridging Ukraine into the European Union environment.

The project is focused on building Slovak - Ukrainian cross-border trade and business cooperation. Parts of the project implemented in the border region initiate an ambition to conduct business and trade, provide information services as well as legal and technical support for cross-border cooperation.

To support the collaboration a set of complementary tools will be created: Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Slovak - Ukrainian Business Incubator, Arbitration Court, Ukrainian - Slovak business portal and Slovak - Ukrainian House of "Družba".

Using such tools Družba Slovakia - Ukraine directly manages, initiates and encourages co-operation between institutions, non-governmental organizations and businesses.

The strategy for promoting cross-border business and entrepreneurial activities is based on support services which eliminate the difficulties of accessing markets outside the European territory. For Slovak entrepreneurs Ukraine is close market and its size of potential demand exceeds the domestic market demand significantly. For Ukraine Slovakia can be the entree point to Europe.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Social and economic development of the region

Creation of new cross-border cooperation between business entities from the border region of SK-UA

Support for existing business cooperation between organisations in the border region

Enhancing mutual understanding on both sides of the border

Improving cooperation between educational institutions, employers and other relevant actors on both sides of the border as well as cross-border

Breaking the barriers for cross-border trade and business cooperation

Setting up the mechanisms for creating individual cross-border contacts and links

PROJECT OUTPUTS/OUTCOMES

House of "DRUŽBA"

EASTOFFICE KOŠICE

EASTOFFICE UŽHOROD

EASTPORTAL

EASTPORT - Chamber of Commerce

EASTARBITER - Arbitration Court

7 TRADE MISSIONS

PLACE! 2016 Conference

MISTO! 2017 Conference

EASTCONFERENCE UŽHOROD

EASTCONFERENCE KOŠICE

Forum of business and municipal representatives

SKUS - organization associating Ukrainian students in Košice

Open Doors Day at Košice Universities

Capacity Building 1

Capacity Building 2

Statue of M.R. Štefánik in Uzhgorod

The non-profit organization Družba Slovensko - Ukrajina was founded in 2013 in response to a strong demand for support of trade cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine. Behind the establishment of this organization is bottom-up initiative - coming directly from business entities, employers and their legal representatives on both sides of the border.

Activities of Družba Slovakia - Ukraine, n.o. under the project Družba Slovensko - Ukrajina, which was funded by the Norwegian Government through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and co-financed from the state budget of the Slovak Republic under the Program SK08 - Cross-border Cooperation - „Slovensko – Ukrajina: Spolupráca naprieč hranicou“ are also supported by city of Košice and Košice self governing region. Project has as well strong political support on the Ukrainian side of the border.

Ukraine is considered as our important economic partner (transit of energy carriers and supply of raw materials commodities for the Slovak economy). Despite the fact that Ukraine is the largest neighboring country of Slovakia, the volume of mutual trade is four times smaller as it is with other neighbors (Hungary, Poland, Austria) and up to 10 times smaller than the trade exchange between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Natural wealth, cultural affinity and mutual geographic connections represent a valuable potential for cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine. Slovakia can play a key role in bridging Ukraine into the European Union environment.

The project is focused on building Slovak - Ukrainian cross-border trade and business cooperation. Parts of the project implemented in the border region initiate an ambition to conduct business and trade, provide information services as well as legal and technical support for cross-border cooperation.

To support the collaboration a set of complementary tools will be created: Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Slovak - Ukrainian Business Incubator, Arbitration Court, Ukrainian - Slovak business portal and Slovak - Ukrainian House of "Družba".

Using such tools Družba Slovakia - Ukraine directly manages, initiates and encourages co-operation between institutions, non-governmental organizations and businesses.

The strategy for promoting cross-border business and entrepreneurial activities is based on support services which eliminate the difficulties of accessing markets outside the European territory. For Slovak entrepreneurs Ukraine is close market and its size of potential demand exceeds the domestic market demand significantly. For Ukraine Slovakia can be the entree point to Europe.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Social and economic development of the region

Creation of new cross-border cooperation between business entities from the border region of SK-UA

Support for existing business cooperation between organisations in the border region

Enhancing mutual understanding on both sides of the border

Improving cooperation between educational institutions, employers and other relevant actors on both sides of the border as well as cross-border

Breaking the barriers for cross-border trade and business cooperation

Setting up the mechanisms for creating individual cross-border contacts and links

PROJECT OUTPUTS/OUTCOMES

House of "DRUŽBA"

EASTOFFICE KOŠICE

EASTOFFICE UŽHOROD

EASTPORTAL

EASTPORT - Chamber of Commerce

EASTARBITER - Arbitration Court

7 TRADE MISSIONS

PLACE! 2016 Conference

MISTO! 2017 Conference

EASTCONFERENCE UŽHOROD

EASTCONFERENCE KOŠICE

Forum of business and municipal representatives

SKUS - organization associating Ukrainian students in Košice

Open Doors Day at Košice Universities

Capacity Building 1

Capacity Building 2

Statue of M.R. Štefánik in Uzhgorod