2003/893/EC: Council Decision of 15 December 2003 on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and Ukraine

Council Decision
of 15 December 2003
on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and Ukraine
(2003/893/EC)
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 Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part(1), provides in Article 22(1) thereof, that trade in some steel products is to be the subject of a specific agreement.
(2) The previous bilateral agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the Government of Ukraine on trade for certain steel products expired on 31 December 2001.
(3) The European Community has taken over the international obligations of the ECSC since the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, and measures relating to trade in steel products with third countries now fall under the competence of the Community in the field of trade policy.
(4) The Parties agreed to conclude a new agreement and the negotiations of this new agreement have not yet been completed.
(5) Pending the signature and the entry into force of the new agreement, quantitative limits for the year 2004 should be established; these limits should be reviewed in the light of accession of new Member States to the Community on 1 May 2004.
(6) Given that the tax of EUR 30/tonne on exports of ferrous scrap applied as of 1 January 2003 has not been lifted nor diminished, it is appropriate to set the quantitative limits for the year 2004 at the same level as for the year 2003,