On July 9, Kyiv hosted the 2nd International Trade Forum, marking the official launch of Ukraine’s Export Strategy 2030. For the furniture and woodworking industry, this is more than a new government policy—it is a clear commitment to strengthening exports, increasing the share of value-added manufacturing, and accelerating the integration of Ukrainian companies into the European Single Market.
The forum brought together representatives of the Government of Ukraine, international partners, business leaders, and industry experts to discuss the practical implementation of the Strategy and the opportunities it creates for Ukrainian manufacturers.
Value-added manufacturing at the heart of export growth
For the furniture industry, the new Export Strategy is particularly significant. Furniture manufacturing is one of Ukraine’s strongest value-added industries, with products already successfully exported to European markets.
The Strategy sets an ambitious goal of increasing Ukraine’s exports to USD 85 billion by 2030, while reducing reliance on raw material exports and encouraging the development of modern, high-value manufacturing.
“Reaching USD 85 billion in exports by 2030 is an ambitious but realistic goal. Our greatest opportunity lies in expanding exports of value-added products, which create jobs, strengthen manufacturing, and drive sustainable economic growth,” said Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.
European integration creates new opportunities for furniture manufacturers
Throughout the forum, speakers emphasized that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union is not only a political process but also a major economic transformation.
For furniture manufacturers, this means greater integration into European value chains, improved access to the EU market, stronger international partnerships, and expanded export opportunities.
“Since 2022, we have written our own story of how trade can survive during wartime, quickly adapt, and continue to grow despite extraordinary challenges,” noted Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
Participants also highlighted the importance of removing trade barriers, digitalising export procedures, expanding export financing instruments, and strengthening support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Ukrainian furniture must compete through quality and innovation
A dedicated panel, “From ‘Made in Ukraine’ to ‘Made in Europe’: International Positioning,” focused on the future of Ukrainian brands in global markets.
Among the speakers was Oksana Straz, Executive Director of the Lviv Furniture Cluster, who shared the Cluster’s vision for the international development of Ukraine’s furniture industry.
According to her, the Made in Ukraine brand is evolving beyond symbolic support and increasingly becoming associated with quality, innovation, sustainability, and compliance with international standards.
“If we want to build long-term global trust, Made in Ukraine must stand for quality, advanced technologies, and internationally recognised standards. That is what creates sustainable competitiveness for Ukrainian manufacturers,” Oksana Straz emphasized.
She also highlighted the growing role of industry clusters in helping companies enter international markets, participate in global trade fairs, establish new partnerships, and integrate into European industrial ecosystems.
The role of the Lviv Furniture Cluster
Supporting export development remains one of the Lviv Furniture Cluster’s strategic priorities.
The Cluster continuously helps its members participate in international exhibitions and business missions, expand international partnerships, accelerate digital transformation, and improve compliance with European market requirements.
These efforts are already delivering tangible results, with an increasing number of Ukrainian furniture manufacturers successfully entering new export markets and becoming part of international value chains.
A new stage of growth for the furniture industry
Ukraine’s Export Strategy 2030 lays a strong foundation for the future development of the country’s furniture and woodworking industries. By supporting SMEs, improving export infrastructure, promoting digitalisation, attracting investment, and strengthening cooperation between government, business, and international partners, the Strategy creates new opportunities for manufacturers to grow internationally.
At the Lviv Furniture Cluster, we believe that successful implementation of the Export Strategy will become an important milestone for the entire furniture sector. Its success will depend on close cooperation between public institutions, businesses, and industry organisations that are already helping Ukrainian manufacturers expand into European markets and strengthen their global competitiveness.
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