04/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ukraine prepared to sign a free trade deal with EU this year. The Ukrainian economic development and trade minister, Andriy Kliuyev, who met the EU trade commissioner in Brussels on 2 March, said that Ukraine is prepared to make “mutually acceptable” concessions so that the current EU-Ukraine talks on setting up a free trade zone can be concluded this year. Questions like protection of geographical indications for EU food, the investment climate and VAT refunds were discussed on Wednesday. The European Commission believes it might be possible to sign a deal in 2011 because talks are at an advanced stage, but there are disagreements to be ironed out still because Ukraine is holding out to protect vulnerable areas of the economy, like farming and the car industry, for as long as possible. (E.H./transl.fl)