BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, April 6 (Hina) - A third round of talks between the Croatian government and the European Commission on the technical adjustment of trade in agricultural products ended in Brussels on Tuesday evening.
BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, April 6 (Hina) - A third round of talks between the
Croatian government and the European Commission on the technical
adjustment of trade in agricultural products ended in Brussels on
Tuesday evening.#L#
The meeting on Protocol VII, which started on Monday, discussed the 40
most sensitive agricultural and food products.
Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic, who led the government
delegation, said that technical details for some 20 products were yet
to be negotiated, while full agreement was reached on 13 or 14
products. He added that quotas were yet to be agreed for six or seven
products, which would be done at a fourth round of talks.
Cobankovic said that the fourth round of negotiations would probably
take place in Zagreb one week after Easter, when Protocol VII was
expected to be signed.
Quotas for two-thirds of products were agreed at two previous rounds
of talks.
Protocol VII will regulate the trade regime between Croatia and the
European Union after its enlargement. Croatia has traded with six out
of ten acceding countries on the basis of bilateral free trade
agreements, which will cease to be valid on May 1 these countries join
the bloc.
Trade between Croatia and the EU is regulated by an interim agreement
that will be in force until the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement is ratified by all EU members. Under the agreement, all
Croatian products but beef, wine and fish have free access to the EU
market, while the Croatian market should open to EU products gradually
over a period of six years.
The European Commission in negotiating on behalf of six acceding
countries that have requested increased export quotas for agricultural
products.
The two sides entered into negotiations with different positions. The
European Commission wants the quotas from bilateral agreements with
six acceding countries to be added to the existing quotas under the
interim agreement. On the other hand, Croatia wants only the effective
quotas from bilateral agreements to be added, as they are
significantly lower than those agreed on paper.
(Hina) vm