People’s deputies of Ukraine propose to modernize and synchronize the legislation in the Ukrainian wine industry in accordance with international standards, in particular to allow bottling wine in metal cans of food aluminum and kegs of aluminum and stainless steel.
The corresponding bill number 9030 “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the development of wine production and simplification of economic activity of small wineries” was registered in Parliament on February 17.
Among the authors of the document, in particular, the head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy Daniel Getmantsev, the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Alexander Haydu, head of the parliamentary committee on economic development Dmitry Natalukha and head of the parliamentary faction “Servant of the People” David Arahamia.
“The current legislation has norms for bottling wine products only in glass containers. Such norms indicate outdated national standards. In such economically developed countries of the world as USA, Great Britain and France it is allowed to pour wine in metal cans from food aluminum, and also kegs from aluminum and stainless steel. Therefore, taking into account current international practice, it is proposed to allow bottling wine in such packaging”, – clarify the authors of the draft law in the explanatory note to the document.
It is also proposed to cancel the need to obtain a license for the production of alcoholic beverages for small Ukrainian wine producers. Instead of licensing, it is proposed to establish a register of small producers of wine products, inclusion in which would be the basis for a business entity to acquire the status of a small producer of wine products.
The draft law No. 9030 proposes to eliminate a number of onerous existing requirements to material and technical base of small producers of wine products, as they buy raw materials of Ukrainian origin (grapes, fruits, berries, honey) for their activities which facilitates the development of agro-processing in the country.
In addition, it is assumed to simplify the reporting procedure for wine producers, from the current monthly to the annual, which will reduce the bureaucratic burden on them. At the same time, the responsibility of small producers of wine products will remain in the form of a fine for failure to submit or late submission of a report or submission of a report with inaccurate information about the volume of production and/or circulation (including import and export) of alcoholic beverages.
The authors of the draft law emphasize that the document is designed to bring national legislation in line with international practices and current trends in the wine industry, involves the removal of unjustified administrative barriers to the activities of producers of wine, fruit and/or honey drinks and allows for the creation of favorable conditions for the development of small production of wine products in Ukraine.
According to the explanatory note to the bill, by the time of its development in Ukraine there are only 26 small winemaking productions, while in 2013 their number reached a hundred, and in 2018 – 52. Thus, the wine industry in Ukraine is in decline, although Ukrainian producers at the international level demonstrate the high quality of their product and receive recognition and rewards.
“For example, in Italy there are 48 thousand small production of wine products, in France about 27 thousand, in Spain – almost 14 thousand in Georgia – more than 1 thousand. Even in countries with a less favorable climate for viticulture (or climatic conditions similar to Ukraine), their number is higher than in Ukraine. Thus, in Slovakia there are more than 28 thousand small wineries, in Germany – about 10 thousand, in Czech Republic – about 1,2 thousand, in Canada – 900, in Poland – 400, in the Netherlands – over 180 (and this number is constantly growing), “- say the authors of the bill.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the export of aluminum and aluminum products for 11 months of 2022 decreased by 41.3% compared to January-November 2021 – to $90.723 million ($7.173 million in November), lead and zinc products by 70.2% – to $10.574 million ($0.804 million), nickel and products – by 72.5%, to $1.168 million ($0.082 million).
Imports of tin and tin products fell 25.7% to $3.140 million ($246,000) and imports of zinc and zinc products fell 60.4% to $34.304 million ($3.813 million).
Zinc exports during the reporting period amounted to $1.321 million (in November there were no deliveries), while in January-November 2021 it was $408 thousand. Tin exports and products in January-November 2022 totaled $423 thousand (in November – $2 thousand) compared to $220 thousand during the same period last year.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products for 2021 rose 53.9% to $169.094 million, lead and lead products rose 52.8% to $38.229 million, and nickel and nickel products rose 55% to $4.856 million.
Zinc exports last year were $550,000, up from $69,000 in 2020 (up eightfold). Tin and products exports in 2021 were $346,000 compared to $117,000 a year earlier.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the export of aluminum and aluminum products for 10 months of 2022 from Ukraine decreased by 39.1% compared to January-October 2021 – to $83.556 million (in October – $7.695 million), and lead and lead products by 69.5% – to $9.769 million ($0.4 million), nickel and nickel products – by 72.5%, to $1.086 million ($0.007 million).
At the same time, exports of aluminum and aluminum products for 2021 increased by 53.9% to $169.094 million, lead and lead products by 52.8% to $38.229 million and nickel and nickel products by 55% to $4.856 million.
Imports of aluminum and its products fell 29.2% to $279.276 million, nickel and nickel products 43% to $55.795 million, zinc and its products 59.9% to $30.490 million, lead and its products 63.8% to $2.65 million and tin and its products 25% to $2.894 million.
Exports of aluminum and its products fell 39.1% to $83.556 million, nickel fell 72.5% to $1.086 million and lead 69.5% to $9.769 million, however zinc exports rose to $1.321 million from $254,000 and tin to $421,000 from $154,000.
Ukraine in January-May of this year increased imports of aluminum ores and concentrate (bauxite) in kind by 12.3% compared to the same period last year, to 2.185 million tonnes.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service on Tuesday, during this period, imports of bauxite in monetary terms increased 16.8%, to $99.393 million.
At the same time, aluminum ores were mainly imported from Guinea (60.15% of supplies in monetary terms), as well as from Brazil (22.26%) and Ghana (16.31%).
Ukraine in January-May 2021 re-exported bauxite in the amount of 94 tonnes for the tune of $19,000 to Poland (84.21%) and Germany (15.79%).
Export of aluminum and products from it in January-April-2021 grew by 46.4% compared to January-April 2020, to $49.551 million (in April – $13.167 million), lead and products from it by 60%, to $12.360 million ($2.723 million), nickel and products – by 31.2%, to $1.367 million ($0.352 million).
In addition, zinc exports in January-April-2021 amounted to $17,000 (in April – $7,000), while in January-April-2020 it was also $17,000. Export of tin and products in January-April-2020 amounted to $8,000 (in April – $3,000), while in January-April 2020 – $42,000.
In addition, Ukraine in January-April-2021 increased imports of nickel and products from it by 22.4% compared to the same period in 2020, to $32.750 million (in April – $9.428 million), aluminum and products from it – by 10% , to $129.966 million ($34.997 million). At the same time, it increased the import of lead and products from it by 3.1 times, to $4.603 million ($1.040 million), increased the import of tin and products from it by 43.5%, to $1.145 million ($402,000), and also increased zinc and zinc products by 90.7%, to $28.139 million ($9.561 million).
