ZAGREB, Dec 6 (Hina) - Croatian officials and representatives of theEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA) met in Geneva on Monday todiscuss the possibility of intensifying economic cooperation, publicprocurement, customs issues,
intellectual property and agriculturalcooperation, the Croatian Economy Ministry said on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Dec 6 (Hina) - Croatian officials and representatives of
the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) met in Geneva on Monday to discuss
the possibility of intensifying economic cooperation, public procurement,
customs issues, intellectual property and agricultural cooperation, the
Croatian Economy Ministry said on Tuesday. The Croatian delegation
was led by an assistant minister, Igor Lucic, while the EFTA delegation was
headed by Lars Erik Nordgaard, chief negotiator at the Ministry of Trade and
Industry of Norway, which chairs the EFTA.
Despite the fact that they are at different levels of integration
relations with the European Union, both sides stressed the EU's exceptional
commercial and political importance, the ministry said.
Trade between Croatia and the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, Switzerland) increased by 26.4 percent in this year's first nine months
from the same period last year, with exports going up by 30.3 percent.