The Federation of Employers of Ukraine (FEU) held another meeting between representatives of Ukrainian businesses and its long-standing and reliable partner, the Danish Export and Investment Fund (EIFO), dedicated to financing Ukraine’s reconstruction projects.
The event was held in a hybrid format — both offline and online — and demonstrated strong interest in international financial support instruments, bringing together more than 50 representatives of businesses and the banking sector.
During the meeting, Core Andreasen, CFO of EIFO and Adviser to the Embassy of Denmark in Ukraine, presented EIFO’s key opportunities to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and facilitate Danish business investment in joint projects.
Peter Helk, Senior Lead Adviser at the Confederation of Danish Industry, FEU’s strategic partner, joined the meeting online and emphasized the importance of cooperation between our organizations. He expressed his readiness to work together with FEU to facilitate cooperation between Danish and Ukrainian companies and EIFO, including by identifying suitable partners and projects.
The total volume of programmes implemented by EIFO with the support of the Danish government amounts to approximately €955 million under the Ukraine Facility, in the form of loans and guarantees for reconstruction and infrastructure projects, as well as the export of Danish technologies to Ukraine.
A separate guarantee programme is available for investments in critical infrastructure and the defense/dual-use sector, with a budget of approximately €130 million and coverage of up to 70% of investment risks.
EIFO’s instruments include:
loans and guarantees for the private sector;
financing for infrastructure and energy projects;
support for the procurement of Danish technologies, equipment, and know-how;
political and war-risk insurance instruments;
co-investment mechanisms and support for joint projects with Danish companies.
Particular attention was paid to:
investments in critical infrastructure;
the development of energy and industrial projects;
partnerships in the field of green transformation;
EIFO’s readiness to support projects in Ukraine even under challenging security conditions.
FEU Director of International Communications Olena Mochalova noted that the Federation of Employers highly values its cooperation with EIFO, which supports Ukrainian companies purchasing Danish goods, helps Danish businesses develop their operations in Ukraine, and encourages joint Danish-Ukrainian projects. This model of cooperation stimulates economic growth and creates new jobs in both countries.
We already have successful examples of joint Danish-Ukrainian projects implemented with the support of the fund. One of them is the following: the Danish company Egholm localized the production of municipal machinery in Ukraine, with 30% of the components manufactured by NG Metal Ukraine. EIFO provided financing covering 40% of the loan amount for Ukrainian cities that chose to purchase this equipment. The machinery is already successfully operating in Mykolaiv, Vinnytsia, and a number of other Ukrainian cities.
At the same time, FEU proposed considering the possibility of expanding the grant component for the private sector. Currently, grant coverage of up to 40% of the cost of Danish goods is available to public-sector purchasers. We would welcome the introduction of a mechanism providing compensation of at least 20% of the cost of Danish or joint Danish-Ukrainian products for private Ukrainian companies as well. This would enable greater involvement of small and medium-sized businesses in cooperation and accelerate the launch of new joint projects.
The meeting provided a platform for direct dialogue between Ukrainian companies and their Danish partners.
Following the presentations, business representatives from various sectors — including energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, and mechanical engineering — had the opportunity to ask questions and receive practical guidance on participating in EIFO programmes and implementing joint projects with Danish partners.
We sincerely thank Core Andreasen for the substantive discussion and for his important work in our country during the extremely challenging times of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Throughout this period, he has remained in Ukraine and travelled across its regions to engage directly with businesses and local authorities.
Following the meeting, participants were invited to submit an Expression of Interest to initiate cooperation with EIFO. Agreements were also reached to continue the working dialogue between Ukrainian businesses represented on the FEU platform and Danish partners.
