MEDIA ADVISORY
Brussels, 15 November 2007
CEFTA 2006 Summit Meeting to be held in Skopje on 21 November 2007
Date: 21 November 2007, Skopje, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Venue: Hotel Aleksandar Palace, Blvd. 8 September, 1000 Skopje
Tel: + 389 (2) 309 23 92
Fax: +389 (2) 309 21 52
Web address: http://www.aleksandarpalace.com.mk/
Contact / further information:
Stability Pact's Spokesperson Mr Georgi Gotev
Tel: +32 (2) 401 87 25 - Mobile: +32 (499) 528 725
press@stabilitypact.org
Mr Ivica Bocevski, Spokesperson of the Government of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Tel: + 389 (2) 323 02 01
Mobile: +389 (71) 262 556
Fax: +389 (2) 322 71 08
ivica.bocevski@gs.gov.mk
Press Centre and Accreditation
A Press Centre will function in Hotel Aleksandar Palace for the duration of the meeting. Requests for accreditation by journalists, cameramen and photo reporters should be made directly to Mr Ivica Bocevski, Spokesperson of the Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, at the contact details indicated above. An Accreditation form is attached.
THEME OF THE MEETING
The CEFTA Summit provides an opportunity for Prime Ministers of all eight parties: Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Serbia and United Nations Interim Administration Mission on behalf of Kosovo acting pursuant to UNSC resolution 1244 (1999) to highlight the extent of their co-operation on trade and the importance of efficient implementation of CEFTA 2006 to ensure that it brings the expected economic and political benefits to the region. Key supporters of this process of regional co-operation from the European Commission and the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe are also invited.
PROGRAMME
10:00 Welcome Address and Statement by Chair in Office
H.E. Nikola Gruevski
Prime Minister, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
10:10 Introductory Addresses
Michael Mozur, Deputy Special Co-ordinator, Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
Erwan Fouéré, Head of EC Delegation
10:20 Statements from CEFTA Parties
Heads of Delegation (in alphabetical order)
11:30 Family Photo and Coffee Break
12:00 Conclusions and Adoption of Prime Ministers’ Declaration
12:05 Chairmanship of CEFTA 2006 in 2008
12:10 Closing Remarks
12:30 Press Conference
BACKGROUND
CEFTA 2006, the modern, ambitious and inclusive free trade agreement covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and UNMIK on behalf of Kosovo was signed by all Parties in Bucharest on 19 December 2006.
Since then, the Parties have focused on the ratification of the Agreement and on developing efficient implementation mechanisms. The Agreement entered into force for five Parties in July 2007, Croatia completed its ratification process and joined on 22 August, followed by Serbia on 24 October and Bosnia and Herzegovina on 22 November. Thus, trade relations among the eight Parties will be governed by CEFTA within one year of the signing ceremony - a remarkably quick ratification process for a complex international agreement.
This Summit meeting is the final formal event for the current Chair in Office of CEFTA 2006, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It has already hosted meetings of deputy ministers responsible for trade (May), a sub-committee on agriculture (June) and the first Joint Committee Meeting of CEFTA 2006 (September). This latter meeting brought together ministers of economy from all CEFTA Parties and UNMIK representatives who took a series of decisions designed to ensure efficient implementation of the Agreement.
As part of the Agreement, the Parties have decided to establish a small secretariat to support the Chair and the Parties in the implementation of the Agreement. This secretariat is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2008. In the meantime, the Secretariat of the Stability Pact’s Trade Working Group is providing secretariat services to the Chair in Office and the CEFTA Parties.
Moldova will assume the role of Chair in Office in January 2008.
Further information, including full copies of the Agreement can be found on the Stability Pact’s website: http://www.stabilitypact.org/wt2/TradeCEFTA.asp
A brief chronology of the development of the enlarged and amended Central European Free Trade Agreement – CEFTA 2006:
Sofia, June 2005
SEE Ministerial Statement of June 2005 agreeing to establishment of a single free trade agreement (FTA) in SEE and mandating the SP Trade Working Group to prepare this.
Zagreb, November 2005
Amendment of entry criteria for membership of CEFTA (Zagreb Declaration) such that all SEE countries and territories are eligible for membership.
Berlin, 14 February
Presentation of proposals by Romania as Chair of CEFTA, supported by the other CEFTA members to facilitate a greatly simplified approach to allow the achievement of a single FTA through a simultaneous enlargement and amendment of CEFTA. Agreement that negotiations to be held under the auspices of the SP Trade Working Group.
Brussels, 28 March
SP report to Ministers on feasibility of single FTA (including principles to underpin agreement and draft text), recommending that such an agreement be pursued through the simultaneous enlargement and amendment of CEFTA and recommending that governments seek a formal mandate for negotiations.
Bucharest, 6 April
High-Level Political Meeting to launch formal process of amendment and enlargement of CEFTA. Joint declaration adopted by the SEE Prime Ministers and supported by the EU Presidency, the European Commission and the Stability Pact regarding the aims and principles underpinning CEFTA 2006.
June to November 2006
Four rounds of technical negotiations chaired by the Stability Pact and supported by the EC leading to the initialling of the amended agreement by 8 parties on 9 November in Brussels. The door was left open for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia to find the necessary solutions to them to sign the agreement alongside their SEE colleagues on 19 December.
Bucharest 19 December 2006
After seven months of intense negotiations and last minute talks, all the countries of South Eastern Europe as well as UNMIK/Kosovo signed a new and improved Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) on 19 December in Bucharest, creating a free trade area in South Eastern Europe. This is the culmination of six years work under the auspices of the Stability Pact's Trade Working Group.
The new single FTA – known as CEFTA 2006 – is a modern trade agreement that harmonises trade rules across the region and incorporates new provisions such as trade in services, intellectual property rights, public procurement and investment promotion. Moreover, the revised text is completely in line with the rules of the World Trade Organisation and with the parties’ obligations towards the EU. Implementation of CEFTA 2006 is expected to give a significant boost to intra-regional trade and very importantly to improve the region's attractiveness as a destination for much needed foreign direct investment.
The European Commission and other partners have provided strong and substantial political, technical and financial support to this Stability Pact initiative.
26 July 2007
CEFTA 2006 came into force for five parties in South Eastern Europe - Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and UNMIK/Kosovo.
22 August 2007
CEFTA 2006 enters into force for Croatia
24 September 2007
CEFTA 2006 ratified by the Serbian Parliament and by the House of Peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina
28 September 2007
First Joint Committee Meeting of CEFTA 2006 held in Ohrid, at the invitation of the Minister of Economy of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in her role as the Chair in Office of CEFTA 2006. This was the first ministerial meeting under the newly enlarged and amended CEFTA. Ministers of Economy/Trade from all the Parties and the Special Representative of the Secretary General, United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) on behalf of Kosovo adopted a series of decisions to ensure the efficient and effective facilitation of this important economic agreement.
Among the decisions adopted was the establishment of high-level sub-committees to deal with priority issues for implementation namely – agriculture, customs
co-operation and non-tariff barriers. The Ministers also decided to establish a commonly agreed list of mediators who can, in line with the Agreement, assist the Parties to settle disputes if requested.
24 October
CEFTA 2006 enters into force for Serbia
21 November
CEFTA 2006 Summit meeting
22 November
CEFTA 2006 enters into force for Bosnia and Herzegovina
More details in the Stability Pact webpage - CEFTA section:
For further information, please contact Stability Pact's Spokesperson
Mr Georgi Gotev at the SP Secretariat in Brussels
(Tel: +32 2 401 87 25 or press@stabilitypact.org).
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MA2007/026
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