Need to obtain concessions to import steel is creating major headaches

According to a new decree signed by Economy Minister, Jacek Piechota, since Friday all companies which import steel must first obtain a concession granted by the Economy Ministry. However as companies can only apply for these concessions from today, there has been a lot of chaos on the market. Trading companies fear that the time to receive such a concession might run into a couple of weeks. Among plants which are dependent on steel imports is the publicly listed Huta Ferrum steelworks in Katowice. "The introduction of these regulations, and especially the bureaucracy involved in obtaining the concessions can result in a lot of confusion. Huta Ferrum imports furnace charge needed for pipe production," said Henryk Pfeifer, the head of the steelworks. Companies producing domestic appliances are also worried. "We are very upset with this situation. Delivery of steel must be made on time. Such regulations should be introduced with periods of longer notice," said the buying manager of Bosch Siemens in Lodz, Robert Kazimierczak. The introduction of the new regulations was a result of America's decision to increase duty on imported steel by up to 30% and the fact that the European Union introduced new duties of up to 26% for a period of six months. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 3) A.K.