Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community and the Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products
Date: 2003-08-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Russia, common commercial policy, iron and steel product, ratification of an agreement, trade agreement (EU)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 11.8.2003
COM(2003) 493 final

2003/0192 (ACC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Russian
Federation amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community
and the Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products

.

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The  European  Coal  and  Steel  Community  and  the  Government  of  the  Russian  Federation
concluded an Agreement on 9 July 2002 on trade for certain steel products.

The agreed minute n° 2 of the Agreement provides that, should there be a problem similar to
the one identified during the negotiations leading to the Agreement (that is the circumvention
of the Agreement by exporting boron alloyed steel products not covered by the Agreement at
prices competing with non-alloyed steel products covered by the Agreement), the Parties shall
enter into consultations to find an acceptable solution. Such a problem arose  and the Parties
entered into consultations. As a result, the Parties agreed to extend the scope of the product
coverage  of  the  Agreement  with  corresponding  quantitative  limits  and  to  conclude  a  new
Agreement amending that Agreement.

This proposal for a Council Decision approves the new Agreement.

2

2003/0192 (ACC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Russian
Federation amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community
and the Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular
Article 133 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,

Whereas:

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

The  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreement  establishing  a  partnership  between  the
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Russian
Federation, of the other part 2, entered into force on 1 December 1997.

Article  21  of  the  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreement  provides  that  trade  in
European Coal and Steel Community ( hereinafter referred to as the ‘ECSC’) products
shall be governed by Title III, save for Article 15 thereof, and by the provisions of an
Agreement.

The ECSC and the Government of the Russian Federation concluded on 9 July 2002
such  an  Agreement  on  trade  in  certain  steel  products3,  approved  on  behalf  of  the
ECSC by the Commission Decision 2002/603/ECSC of 8 July 20024. 

The ECSC Treaty expired on 23 July 2002 ; the Parties agreed under Article 10(2) of
the  above  mentioned  Agreement  that  it  will  be  continued  and  that  all  rights  and
obligations shall be maintained after such expiry.

The Parties entered into consultations as provided for in the agreed minute N° 2 of the
above  mentioned  Agreement  and  concluded  that  the  product  coverage  of  the
Agreement  has  to  be  extended  to  also  include  product  groups  SA  5  and  SA  6  with
corresponding quantitative limits,

1

2

3

4

OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ L 327, 28.11.1997, p. 3.
OJ L 195, 24.7.2002, p. 55.
OJ L 195, 24.7.2002, p. 54.

3

                                                
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1.

2.

The  Agreement  between  the  European  Community  and  the  government  of  the
Russian  Federation  amending 
the
Government of the Russian  Federation concerning trade in certain  steel  products  is
hereby approved on behalf of the European Community.

the  Agreement  between 

the  ECSC  and 

The text of the Agreement5 is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the persons empowered to sign
the Agreement referred to in Article 1.

Done at Brussels, […]

For the Council
The President

5

See page x of this Official Journal.

4

                                                
AGREEMENT

between the European Community and the Government of the Russian Federation
amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community and the
Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY,

of the one part, and

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION,

of the other part,

being the Parties to this Agreement,

Whereas the Parties are desirous to promote the orderly and equitable development of trade in
steel between the European Community (hereinafter referred to as 'the Community') and the
Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as 'Russia');

Whereas the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Russian Federation,
of the other part, entered into force on 1 December 1997;

Whereas  Article  21  of  the  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreement  provides  that  trade  in
European Coal and Steel Community ( hereinafter referred to as the ‘ECSC’) products shall
be governed by Title III, save for Article 15 thereof, and by the provisions of an Agreement;

Whereas the ECSC and the Government of the Russian Federation concluded on 9 July 2002
such  an  Agreement  on  trade  in  certain  steel  products,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  “the
Agreement”;

Whereas the ECSC Treaty expired on 23 July 2002 ; that the Community took over all rights
and obligations contracted by the former; that the Agreement is not affected by such expiry as
further stipulated in its Article 10;

Whereas in order to address the concerns raised by the Community in view of the important
increase  of  imports  into  the  Community  of  boron-alloyed  steel  products  from  Russia,  the
Parties entered into consultations as provided for in the agreed minute N° 2 of the Agreement
and concluded that the product coverage of the Agreement has to be extended to also include
product groups SA 5 and SA 6;

HAVE  DECIDED  to  conclude  this  Agreement  and  to  this  end  have  designated  as  their
Plenipotentiaries:

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES:

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION:

5

WHO HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

The Agreement is amended as follows :

Article 1

1.

2.

Annex I of the Agreement is replaced by the attached Annex I.

Annex II of the Agreement is replaced by the attached Annex II.

Article 2

The  Parties  agree  that  imports  into  the  Community  from  Russia,  of  products  falling  within
product groups SA 5 and SA 6 as defined in the attached Annex I, as from 1.1.2003 until the
entry  into  force  of  this  Agreement,  shall  be  deducted  from  the  quantitative  limits  of  those
product groups for the year 2003 set out in the attached Annex II.

Article3

Imports  into  the  Community  of  goods  falling  within  product  groups  SA  5  and  SA  6
accompanied  by  a  surveillance  document6  issued  before  the  date  of  entry  into  force  of  this
Agreement do not require an import authorization as referred to in the Agreement, notably in
its Article 9, paragraph 2 of the Protocol A.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the day of its signature.

Article 4

6

Issued in accordance with Commission Regulation 76/2002 (OJ L 16, 18.1.2002, p.3.)

6

                                                
Article 5

This  Agreement  shall  be  drawn  up  in  duplicate  in  the  Danish,  Dutch,  English,  Finnish,
French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Russian languages, each of
these texts being equally authentic.

Done at […] on […]

For the European Community

For the Government of the Russian Federation

7

SA Flat-rolled products
SA1. Coils

7208 10 00
7208 25 00
7208 26 00
7208 27 00
7208 36 00
7208 37 90

7208 38 90
7208 39 90

7211 14 10
7211 19 20

7219 11 00
7219 12 10
7219 12 90
7219 13 10
7219 13 90
7219 14 10
7219 14 90

7225 20 20
7225 30 00

SA1a  Hot  rolled  coils  for  re-
rolling

7208 37 10
7208 38 10
7208 39 10

SA2. Heavy Plate

7208 40 10

7208 51 10
7208 51 30
7208 51 50
7208 51 91
7208 51 99
7208 52 10
7208 52 91
7208 52 99
7208 53 10

7211 13 00

SA3. Other flat rolled products

7208 40 90
7208 53 90
7208 54 10
7208 54 90
7208 90 10
7209 15 00
7209 16 10
7209 16 90
7209 17 10
7209 17 90

7209 18 10

7209 18 91
7209 18 99
7209 25 00
7209 26 10
7209 26 90
7209 27 10

7209 27 90
7209 28 10
7209 28 90
7209 90 10
7210 11 10
7210 12 11

7210 12 19
7210 20 10
7210 30 10
7210 41 10
7210 49 10
7210 50 10
7210 61 10
7210 69 10
7210 70 31
7210 70 39
7210 90 31
7210 90 33
7210 90 38

7211 14 90
7211 19 90
7211 23 51
7211 29 20

7211 90 11

7212 10 10
7212 10 91
7212 20 11
7212 30 11
7212 40 10
7212 40 91
7212 50 31
7212 50 51

7212 60 11
7212 60 91

7219 21 10
7219 21 90
7219 22 10
7219 22 90
7219 23 00
7219 24 00
7219 31 00
7219 32 10
7219 32 90
7219 33 10
7219 33 90
7219 34 10
7219 34 90
7219 35 10
7219 35 90
7225 40 80

ANNEX I

SA4.  Alloyed
products

7226 20 20
7226 91 10
7226 91 90
7226 99 20

SA5.  Alloyed
quarto plates

7225 40 20
7225 40 50
7225 99 10

SA6.  Alloyed
cold rolled and
coated sheets

7225 50 00
7225 91 10
7225 92 10
7226 92 10

SB Longs products
SB1. Beams

7207 19 31
7207 20 71

7216 31 11
7216 31 19

7216 31 91
7216 31 99
7216 32 11
7216 32 19
7216 32 91
7216 32 99

7216 33 10
7216 33 90

SB2. Wire rod

7213 10 00
7213 20 00
7213 91 10
7213 91 20
7213 91 41
7213 91 49
7213 91 70
7213 91 90
7213 99 10
7213 99 90

7221 00 10

7221 00 90

7227 10 00
7227 20 00
7227 90 10
7227 90 50
7227 90 95

SB3. 
longs

Other

7207 19 11
7207 19 14
7207 19 16
7207 20 51
7207 20 55
7207 20 57

7214 20 00
7214 30 00

8

7214 91 10

7214 91 90
7214 99 10
7214 99 31
7214 99 39
7214 99 50
7214 99 61

7214 99 69
7214 99 80
7214 99 90
7215 90 10

7216 10 00

7216 21 00
7216 22 00
7216 40 10
7216 40 90
7216 50 10
7216 50 91
7216 50 99
7216 99 10

7218 99 20

7222 11 11
7222 11 19
7222 11 21
7222 11 29
7222 11 91
7222 11 99
7222 19 10

7222 19 90

7222 30 10
7222 40 10
7222 40 30

7224 90 31
7224 90 39

7228 10 10

7228 10 30
7228 20 11
7228 20 19
7228 20 30
7228 30 20
7228 30 41
7228 30 49
7228 30 61
7228 30 69
7228 30 70
7228 30 89
7228 60 10
7228 70 10
7228 70 31
7228 80 10
7228 80 90

7301 10 00

ANNEX II

QUANTITATIVE LIMITS

(tonnes)

Products

2002

2003

2004

SA. Flat products
SA1. Coils
SA1.a. Hot-rolled coils for re-
rolling
SA2. Heavy plate
SA3. Other flat products
SA4. Alloyed products

SA 5. Alloyed quarto plates
SA 6. Alloyed cold rolled and
coated sheets

SB. Long products

SB1. Beams
SB2. Wire rod

259.000
485.000

256.250
497.130

262.660
509.550

60.000
80.000
90.000

--------
--------

61.500
82.000
92.250

20.000
95.000

63.040
84.050
94.560

20.500
97.375

15.000
60.000

15.380
61.500

15.760
63.040

SB3. Other long products
Notes:
SA and SB are product categories
SA1 to SA6 and SB1 to SB3 are product groups

165.000

169.130

173.350

9