On Friday, April 30, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on the duty free import of certain types of steel pipes from Ukraine into Russia at a volume of 260,000 mt annually.
The amending protocol for the agreement on the adjustment of supply of certain types of steel pipes to the customs territory of Russia was signed by the ministers of economy of both countries following a meeting between Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov.
In previous years, Ukraine had supplied up to 300,000 mt of steel pipes per year to Russia. Thus, the new quota to the amount of 260,000 mt will allow Ukraine to more or less maintain its share in the Russian pipe market.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, as of April 1, 2010, Russia stopped duty free imports of Ukrainian pipes in the absence of agreed quotas for supplies not subject to antidumping duty payment.