During the consultations, Minister Petar Cobankovic expounded two principles for negotiations, one of which refers to additional benefits for Croatian exports in agricultural and food trade with the EU, in case Zagreb accepts export quotas for sugar.
The delegation of the European Commission was led by Jesus Zorilla, the director of the international affairs department of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, who informed Minister Cobankovic of the main reasons for reforms in sugar trade in the EU.
One of reasons is a 40-percent fall in the price of sugar on the global market, which is why the EU market should adjust itself to new trends. In the trade regime it is also very important to provide evidence on the origin and production of sugar.
Yesterday's consultations also revolved around subsidised export of beef to Croatia.
Minister Cobankovic previously informed EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel of this problem.