ZAGREB/BRUSSELS, April 5 (Hina) - A Croatian delegation led by European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic started the third round of negotiations on Protocol VII with European Commission officials in Brussels on
Monday.
ZAGREB/BRUSSELS, April 5 (Hina) - A Croatian delegation led by European
Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic started the third round
of negotiations on Protocol VII with European Commission officials in
Brussels on Monday.#L#
Grabar Kitarovic said that import quotas for 40 agricultural, food and
fish products should be determined at the talks.
The talks will last until late in the night and may continue tomorrow.
Minister Grabar Kitarovic said she hoped the talks would be completed
successfully. The Croatian team will also include Agriculture Minister
Petar Cobankovic.
Import quotas for two-thirds of products were determined in the two
previous rounds.
Protocol VII will regulate the trade regime between Croatia and the
expanded European Union. Trade between Croatia and six of the ten
countries which will join the EU on May 1 has been regulated with
bilateral free trade agreements, which will cease to be valid on the
day of their admission into the EU.
Trade between Croatia and the EU is regulated with the Stabilisation
and Association Agreement, i.e. an interim agreement which was signed
to bridge over the period until the SAA goes into force, namely until
it is ratified by all EU member-countries. This is an asymmetric
agreement which is favourable for Croatia as it granted Croatia-made
products free access to the EU market, except for beef, wine and fish.
Under the agreement, the Croatian market will gradually open to
European products over a period of six years.
The EC is negotiating on behalf of six accessing countries which have
requested an increase in export quotas for agricultural products.
(Hina) rml