From January 1, 2018, the duty on the expandable polystyrene (PSV-C) of European origin for import to Ukraine was reduced to 1.6%, according to the ICIS-MRC Price Review, citing data from the Ministry of Economic Development of Ukraine.

Special import duty rates for the import of goods originating from the European Union are applied in the framework of free trade between Ukraine and the EU. The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU entered into force in full on September 1, 2017, and its trading part is effective from January 1, 2016. In accordance with the document, the import duty on PSV-S is reduced from 6.5% to 0% during the transitional period of 3 years. In 2017, the rate was at the level of 3.25%. VAT for this group of goods remains unchanged at 20%.

To date, foaming polystyrene is not produced on the territory of Ukraine. For January-November 2017, PSV-S’s imports decreased by 3% to 29,800 tonnes against 30,600 tonnes in the same period last year. The share of PSV-S produced by Sibur-Khimprom in the domestic market of Ukraine for eleven months was 54%. About 58% of all imports came to the country through trading companies.