Export of chemical products in 2016 over USD 2 billion – Harmonisation with EU law moving forward

Serbia exported chemicals and chemical products last year for USD 2.14 billion, three quarters of which went to the EU. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) says that our country has made considerable progress in harmonising its laws with the EU’s.

Secretary of the Chemicals Association Dragan Stevanovic says that Serbia, as an EU accession candidate, has considerable interests in common with ECHA since besides export it also imported products for USD 3.38 billion. Around three quarters of these imports are exchanges with EU countries.

Stevanovic announced that there is a great interest to participate in European projects and programmes, and that on this basis some common projects have been proposed that will be useful for both parties.

– For example, a project about materials and substances of concern that are carcinogenic and genetically damaging and have negative consequences for the reproductive organs. Even with the comprehensive EU regulations they have not succeeded in preventing the entry of products containing these substances from countries outside the union – Stevanovic said.

He pointed out that the EU has planned over EUR 6 billion for the cyclical economy (which integrates the economy with waste management systems).

– This is why we offered our help, to use our abilities to limit the penetration of such substances onto their markets. We would see great benefits, strengthen our capacities and clean the markets of products with these materials. So we don’t become a dump for such substances – Stevanovic said.

Director Geert Dancet of the European Chemicals Agency said that Serbia is steadily increasing the harmonisation of its legislation with that of the EU, adding that his agency has been working with the Serbian government to prepare for EU accession since 2011, and that so far they have made considerable progress.

– We see steady progress – he said, emphasizing that Serbia has already achieved a great deal, for example establishing a chemicals register, introducing licensing and so on. He added that all of this is a good basis for the Serbian chemicals industry, but that the work is not yet finished.

Dancet says that appropriate regulations on biocides harmonised with the EU’s must be enacted, and that the ECHA will help Serbia to build the required capacities.

Translation provided by: www.halifax-translation.com

Privredna komora Srbije

CCIS

CCIS Chemicals Association

European Chemicals Agency ECHA

export of chemical products

Dragan Stevanovic

cyclical economy

waste management system

waste management

Geert Dancet

chemicals register

chemical industry of Serbia

biocides

hazardous waste

import of chemicals

export of chemicals