• Ruslan Bernatsky
    Partner practice

    International Trade

    Foreign economic relations are one of the most complicated areas of any country’s economy.

    Ukraine’s accession to the World Trade Organization gave rise both to large expectations and mixed assessments as to the wisdom of such a move in the context of many new and updated old rules and conditions governing foreign trade with Ukraine.

    However, international trade is hardly ever governed by the rules and regulations of a single legal system. It is subject both to importers’ and exporters’ domestic laws and international rules, regulations and customs, a successful choice and combination of which greatly affect the success and effectiveness of international trade.

    Integrites has extensive experience in dealing with matters involving WTO law, European Union law and foreign law and in drafting agreements governed by foreign laws and subject to the requirements of various international organizations, such as the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA), the Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations (FOSFA) and others. We also advise our clients on laws of foreign jurisdictions by drawing on the experience of our partners in other countries.
    Problems that plague a great many companies engaged in international trade with Ukrainian residents include Ukrainian tax laws and various export and import restrictions, in partculiar with regard to natural resources / raw materials. The assistance offered by Integrites lawyers includes advising on a variety of regulatory issues, such as customs tariffs and duties, quotes and benefits, classifications and assessments, and well as on trade policy issues, and representing clients in courts and international commercial arbitration tribunals in connection with customs disputes and trade and other regulatory investigations.

    Integrites is experienced in providing comprehensive legal support to transnational businesses, carrying out contractual structuring of their international trade transactions, and developing optimal contractual and business schemes.
    In light of the intensification of cooperation between private and public market segments, we provide legal support during coordination and performance of franchise agreements and tolling transactions.

    Integrites services in this area include:

    • Advising clients on international trade rules, various international payment forms, international insurance, transportations, export and import taxes and charges.
    • Developing international trade schemes and other international projects, planning, drafting necessary documents and providing other support for international transactions, and providing legal support for export and import transactions.
    • Representing clients before governmental agencies.
       

  • Projects. International Trade

    Projects. International Trade.

    Advising clients on international trade rules, various international payment forms, international insurance, transportations, export and import taxes and charges:

    • Advising clients on international trade rules, in particular on the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the WTO Agreement, the Incoterms, the Principles of International Commercial Contracts and international bilateral treaties;
    • Advising clients on various forms of international payments for goods and services, tolling transactions, joint ventures, agency and representation arrangements;
    • Advising on WTO rules and national laws of those countries, whose residents are parties to transnational transactions, with regard to pricing, taxes, duties and charges, specific aspects of customs laws, commercial regulation, licensing, export and import transactions, antidumping regulations, quotes, and restrictions on imports and exports of certain categories of products.

    Developing international trade schemes and other international projects, planning, drafting necessary documents and providing other support for international transactions, and providing legal support for export and import transactions:

    • Developing corporate operating schemes for transnational projects, developing transaction schemes and monitoring their consistent implementation, and structuring investment schemes for various industrial and agricultural sectors under transnational projects;
    • Drafting and signing various international commercial contracts, including supply and delivery agreements, sale and purchase agreements, shipping contracts, works and services agreements, distribution agreements, franchise agreements, agency agreements, license agreements, joint venture agreements, insurance agreements and framework industry agreements;
    • Developing means of securing obligations and drafting security agreements, drafting agreements and arranging transactions to secure the parties’ obligations (penalties, security deposits, prepayments, retention, escrow accounts, guarantees, sureties, etc.);
    • Providing legal support for dealing with customs issues in connection with brokerage arrangements associated with export and import transactions, in particular advising on customs tariffs and duties, quotes, customs classifications and assessments, and customs payment optimization schemes.

    Representing clients before governmental agencies:

    • Representing clients before national governmental agencies in the process of obtaining permits for export and import transactions.