Brussels   —  Today September 28, in Ohrid, under the Chairmanship of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, SEE Ministers responsible for trade and the Director of Economic Policy of the United Nations Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo took a number of key decisions that will ensure the efficient and effective implementation of CEFTA 2006.

This modern, inclusive and ambitious trade agreement is already in force for six of the eight Parties – Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and UNMIK/Kosovo.  The meeting warmly welcomed the ratifications, earlier this week by Bosnia and Herzegovina and by Serbia.  This means that within 30 days trade among the all CEFTA Parties will be governed by one single agreement.

Among the decisions adopted by Ministers today 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.

Speaking at the meeting, the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, Erhard Busek congratulated the CEFTA Parties on the impressive efforts they have made to have the agreement in force so soon after signing.  While the SEE Parties had already gained much credit for signing CEFTA 2006 back in December, he stressed that the decisions adopted today “…will guarantee that CEFTA 2006 is good for South Eastern Europe in practise as well as in theory.”

He also noted that the entry into force of CEFTA 2006 and the establishment of support structures such as a small Secretariat was further evidence of seriousness with which the region is assuming ownership and leadership for vital co-operation processes originally initiated and nurtured by the Stability Pact. 

The European Commission representative at the meeting, Erwan Fouéré reiterated the EU’s strong political support and the Commission’s intention to propose technical and financial support for the implementation of CEFTA 2006.

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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PR2007/019