An increasing number of Dutch companies and investors are expanding some or all of their operations into Ukraine. The long-standing obstacles to trade are rapidly being dismantled as part of the negotiations on the country's accession to the WTO. Ukraine also hopes to join the European Union at some time in the future.

In the meantime, it is already fair to say that Ukraine is an attractive country in which to set up production facilities due to low labour costs. Compared to the former Eastern Block countries, these costs are still significantly lower. As the largest European country (excluding Russia as most of this country is outside Europe), Ukraine is also a sizeable market with a population close to 50 million.

In addition to all of this, the awarding of the European Football Championships 2012 to Ukraine and Poland has naturally acted as a huge boost for economic activities in areas such as infrastructure, the hotel industry, logistics and the media.

CMS Derks Star Busmann has recognized that its clients in Western Europe simply cannot ignore such an important market, and therefore provides support in the country itself in a range of areas such as mergers & takeovers, property, banks & international finance, oil & gas, agriculture, mining & metals, the capital markets, private equity, settlement of disputes, intellectual property, tax law, public-private partnerships, competition, consumer products and employment law .

CMS Derks Star Busmann has a Dutch Desk at the offices of our CMS partner CMS Cameron McKenna in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. This combination forms one of the major players in the local market.

Contact person
The Dutch Desk in Kiev is headed by lawyer Ton Heebing, Commercial partner at CMS Derks Star Busmann. Ton Heebing has fifteen years of experience in corporate law and specializes in international transactions such as mergers and takeovers. His native language is Dutch, but he also speaks Russian, German, English and French.

As already mentioned, Ton is supported by the staff of CMS Cameron McKenna in Kiev, which currently comprises five partners and some thirty national and foreign lawyers.

Contact details
CMS Derks Star Busmann
6th Floor
38 Volodymyrska Street
01034 Kiev
Ukraine

T +380 44 391 3377
F +380 44 391 3388
M +31 654 268879
ton.heebing@cms-dsb.com

PA The Netherlands:
Esther Gunsing
T +31 26 353 8205
F +31 26 353 8297