BRUSSELS: FIRST ROUND OF TALKS ON PROTOCOL NO. 7 COMPLETED

avezi BRUSSELS, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian delegation negotiating Additional Protocol no. 7 on the enlargement of the European Union on Thursday completed the first round of talks with European Commission officials.#L# Protocol 7 on EU enlargement is expected to introduce changes in the trade regime with the EU since Croatia currently conducts trade with six of ten accessing countries - Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia - on the basis of bilateral free trade agreements, which will no longer be valid when those countries join the EU on May 1 this year. A member of the delegation, Assistant Agriculture Minister Miroslav Bozic, said that around 70 percent of products to be traded between Croatia and the EU were agreed on in a mutually acceptable and satisfactory way during today's ten-hour talks. The remaining 30 percent of the products, which are yet to be discussed, are much more sensitive, and will be discussed at the next round of talks. The Croatian delegation has suggested that the next round be held on March 17 in Zagreb. The products in question are milk and dairy products, live cattle and beef, pigs and pork. Bozic said that the Croatian delegation was trying to have fish export quotas increased. Croatia has limited quotas for fish exports to the EU, and it has been exporting fish products to the markets of the six accessing countries in unlimited quantities and with zero customs duty. The most positive thing for the Croatian economy is that it will have absolutely free access to the markets of the six accessing countries, Bozic said. (Hina) rml sb