The Government to revise its decision on import quotas for sulfuric acid

Ukrainian producers initiated the extension of restrictions on imports of sulfuric acid and oleum

The Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade (ICIT) has decided to revise the special safeguard measures (quotas), which are nearing completion, on imports of sulfuric acid and oleum to Ukraine (code under the Ukrainian Customs Commodity Classification Codes for Foreign Trade 2807 00 00 00).

This was reported by Interfax-Ukraine citing ICIT’s post in the Government newspaper, Uriadovyi Kurier.

The extension of import quotas for sulfuric acid and oleum was initiated by the Eastern Mining and Processing Plant SoE, Sumykhimprom PJSC, Research and Production Enterprise “Zarya” LLC and the First Chemical Association LLC.

“The Commission has found that the appeal contains sufficient information indicating that although the use of special measures had a positive effect on the business of the applicants, it failed to completely eliminate the adverse effects caused to them; the appeal contains sufficient information indicating that the applicants may be in the process of adapting to the competitive environment,” reads ICIT’s message.

The Ministry of Economy was ordered to revise the restrictions. It will collect stakeholders’ opinions until 13 August.

As reported earlier, in the summer of 2018, ICIT imposed three-year quotas for imports of sulfuric acid and oleum to Ukraine:

• In the first year, the import quota for sulfuric acid and oleum was 30.8 thousand tons from Belarus, 8.6 thousand tons from Russia, and 4.3 thousand tons from other countries;
• In the second year, the quotas were increased to 32.3 thousand tons, 9.1 thousand tons and 4.5 thousand tons respectively;
• In the third year, the quotas were increased to 33.9 thousand tons, 9.5 thousand tons and 4.8 thousand tons respectively.

The special safeguard measures do not apply to imports from about 50 countries, including Kazakhstan.

A number of Ukrainian steelmaking companies opposed the imposition of restrictions on imports of sulfuric acid. Conversely, chemical plants insisted on their introduction.