KIEV, Nov. 10 – An agreement on a free trade area with the CIS member states has been submitted for ratification by Parliament, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry reported.

"The government has initiated the ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of an agreement on a free trade area with the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. A respective bill was approved at a government meeting on November 9," the ministry reported.

In the agreement on the CIS free trade area, the CIS member countries took into account Ukraine's proposals that help "more effectively protect national economic interests, in particular, during the use of trade protection measures."