The development of industrial parks in the West of Ukraine is both an opportunity for Polish investors and companies interested in commercial cooperation with Ukrainian residents.
The Ukrainian government has decided to locate three new industrial parks in the Western Ukraine, which are ultimately expected to create 4,500 new jobs. Two of them will be in the vicinity of the border with Poland: „Kovel Porto” in Kovel in Volhynia and „Dobrosyn” in the Lviv region, near the Hrebenne-Rava Ruska border checkpoint. The third of the established parks, "Green Lactic", is in Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
So far, 17 industrial parks have been registered in two regions bordering Poland – Lviv and Volyn.
The location of industrial parks near the border with Poland, in addition to the investment potential for Polish business, may be an opportunity to expand industrial and commercial cooperation with Ukrainian companies involved there. These are often entities that have decided to relocate their production to the West from areas more exposed to the effects of hostilities.
It should be considered that the industrial parks registered by the Ukrainian authorities are at a very different stage of development. Some, especially those located in the Western of Ukraine, are developing dynamically, but many of them have been remained in the conceptual sphere for years. Individual industrial parks have different specializations and differ in their offer to investors.
The latest catalogue of Ukrainian industrial parks prepared in May 2024 by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine contains detailed information about each of the operating industrial parks, along with photos, information on the available infrastructure (access to water and sewer networks, energy, gas and access roads), as well as the investment and tax reliefs offered. The catalogue is available in English and Ukrainian (https://me.gov.ua/Documents/Download?id=7d41dc38-bc1b-46e7-b583-e39b70dc45a5)
In 2022, the Supreme Council of Ukraine adopted a package of laws on tax reliefs for industrial parks, i.e. areas provided for in local development plans as centers of industrial development, using common developed infrastructure. According to Ukrainian legislation, residents of industrial parks are provided with exemption from VAT and customs duties on the import of new equipment, exemption from income tax for 10 years depending on the type of activity, provided that part of the profit is reinvested, as well as preferential rates of local taxes (property tax and land fees).
In 2024, UAH 1 billion (about PLN 100 million) has been earmarked for projects to support industrial parks.
These funds will be used for the construction of industrial park infrastructure and the refinancing of investment costs spent, including compensation for the costs of connection to the power grid and repayment of interest on loans.
The Ukrainian government intends to promote industrial parks to a greater extent among foreign investors.
