Ukraine's accession to the Customs Union (CU) will limit the opportunities for the development of trade and economic relations with other countries, according to Deputy Director General of the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade Peter Balazs.

Speaking at a panel discussion of the international conference ABC: Ukraine & Partners in Kyiv on Friday, he said that the EU hopes for the successful signing of an agreement on a free trade area with Ukraine.

"What does the EU offer under the FTA agreement? We offer to open multi-vector relations not only with the EU, but also with the rest of the world. If Ukraine signs this agreement with the EU, it will be able to maintain free trade with the EU, the CIS, Russia and others," he said.

Balazs said that joining the FTA will open up for Ukraine not only the EU market, but also additional opportunities to develop trade and economic relations with other countries.

Speaking about Ukraine's possible accession to the Customs Union, he said that this would significantly reduce the opportunities for the development of such relations for Ukraine.

"For the Ukrainian government, which will make this choice, the issue of joining the Customs Union, is obviously, not a political, but a legal one. This is a mono-political relationship in which Ukraine will not be able to maintain open relations and free trade with either the EU or with any other partners," the EC representative added.