EU round up – Ukraine paint makers get duty free access to EU markets

Ukraine manufacturers of paints and coatings exporting to the European Union (EU) could benefit from the planned scrapping of import duties charged on products traded between them. With the Ukraine government, on March 21, signing a political agreement cementing closer links with the EU, the European Commission has released details of proposals to remove tariffs on goods traded between the EU and Ukraine.

EU duties on Ukraine exports would be scrapped first, once agreement is secured from both the European Parliament (which has now given a positive vote) and the EU Council of Ministers.
These include 6.5% duties on many polymer-based paints, a wide variety of printing inks, dyes and pigments. EU duties on Ukraine adhesives and glues vary widely and glues, ranging up to 8.3% with additional charges, for instance.

A European Commission note said: "This unilateral measure will allow Ukrainian exporters to benefit from preferential access to the EU market…Ukraine will not have to provide extra access to EU exports in return.”

The remainder of the planned EU-Ukraine association agreement is likely to be signed and approved following planned Ukraine presidential elections in May, assuming these are not disrupted by Russia and its allies. This would include the removal of Ukraine duties on EU exports.

Meanwhile, The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Board of Appeal has clarified ECHA’s responsibility regarding the registration under EU chemical control system REACH of chemical mixtures. It has ruled that while companies are indeed responsible for registering individual chemicals, ECHA is responsible for giving direction to a company so that it does not mistake a chemical mixture for one substance and hence make a mistake in registration.

ECHA has released a revised chemical database containing classification and labelling information on notified and registered chemical substances received from manufacturers and importers. It will include information about noted impurities and additives; differently hydrated forms of the same substance; publicly available IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) names for substances, and more. See http://echa.europa.eu/web/ guest/information-on-chemicals/cl-inventory-database

ECHA has also now taken over responsibility for the import and export of very hazardous chemicals to and from the EU under a reformed EU prior informed consent regulation. The job used to be undertaken by the EU’s Joint Research Centre. The new legislation brings the trade in such chemicals in line with EU chemical control system REACH and follows the globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals. See http://echa. europa.eu/regulations/prior-informed-consent-regulation

The EU Council of Ministers has approved an agreement struck with Russia last June on strengthening mutual co-operation to prevent the diversion of chemical precursors from legal uses, such as in the paint and coatings sector to illicit narcotics manufacturers. Implementation may, of course, be impeded as a result of Russia’s unrecognised annexation of the Crimea.