Worries over U.S. restrictions on Ukrainian metals imports prompt EU to look at possible mass metals exports to European market, official says
in extending its agreement with Ukraine, due to expire on Dec. 31, 2001, which regulates the export of metal products to EU member-countries, a state official said Monday.
According to Serhy Hryschenko, deputy chairman of the State Committee for Industrial Policy, last week a Ukrainian delegation held consultations with representatives of the European Commission on trade in metal products after the agreement’s expiration.
According to Hryschenko, the EU is concerned about the United States’ intention to impose strict restrictions on Ukrainian metal products imports, since this may result in a rise in Ukrainian metal products exports to EU member-countries and, consequently, the launching of antidumping investigations.
“The Europeans are concerned that if a new agreement is not signed, we will start mass exports to the European market, which is the nearest market where prices are also good,” Hryschenko said.
Hryschenko added that the issue of raising the quota for Ukrainian metal products exports will be discussed during the negotiations on extending the current agreement or the signing of a new one.
Ukraine’s current annual quota for metal products exports to the European Union is 264,300 tons.
Ukrainian enterprises nearly filled this quota last year.
