Document ID: 32003D0893

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,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
During the period 1 January to 31 December 2004, imports into the Community of steel products referred to in Annex I originating in Ukraine shall be subject to licensing.
Article 2
Imports shall be authorised, for each product group and for the whole of the Community, up to the quantitative limits indicated in Annex II.
Licences shall be issued only within these limits.
Article 3
The rules for issuing licences and other relevant provisions shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Member States shall issue licences according to those rules and inform the Commission thereof immediately. The Commission shall keep the Member States regularly informed of the extent to which the quantities have been used up.
The Member States and the Commission shall confer in order to ensure that these quantities are not exceeded.
Article 4
The provisions of the agreement on trade in certain steel products together with any measures to give effect to it, shall as from the date of entry into force of the said agreement replace the provisions of this Decision.
Article 5
This Decision shall take effect on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 15 December 2003.

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