ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Representatives of South Eastern Europe's chambers of commerce convened in Zagreb on Tuesday to discuss the advancement of trade liberalisation, cooperation between development banks and guarantee institutions,
and mutual economic cooperation. In attendance were representatives of the chambers of commerce of Croatia, Slovenia, the Bosnian federation, the Bosnian Serb entity, Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Vojvodina, and Serbia. Presenting the progress made in the liberalisation of foreign trade, Assistant Economy Minister Olgica Spevec said Croatia had signed ten free trade agreements with 27 countries. She announced agreements with Turkey, with negotiations completed, and Yugoslavia and Albania, with negotiations underway, might be signed by year's end. Negotiations with Baltic countries have been initiated, while negotiations on Croatia's admission
ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Representatives of South Eastern Europe's
chambers of commerce convened in Zagreb on Tuesday to discuss the
advancement of trade liberalisation, cooperation between
development banks and guarantee institutions, and mutual economic
cooperation.
In attendance were representatives of the chambers of commerce of
Croatia, Slovenia, the Bosnian federation, the Bosnian Serb
entity, Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Vojvodina, and Serbia.
Presenting the progress made in the liberalisation of foreign
trade, Assistant Economy Minister Olgica Spevec said Croatia had
signed ten free trade agreements with 27 countries. She announced
agreements with Turkey, with negotiations completed, and
Yugoslavia and Albania, with negotiations underway, might be
signed by year's end.
Negotiations with Baltic countries have been initiated, while
negotiations on Croatia's admission to the Central European Free
Trade Agreement begin on Wednesday, said Spevec.
Free trade agreements with Slovenia and Macedonia were signed in
1997 but will be expanded, i.e. further liberalised.
The president of the Slovene Chamber of Commerce, Jozko Cuk,
pointed to the importance of developing cooperation within the
region. He said only 16 percent of Slovenia's foreign trade covered
countries in Europe's south-east, as against 67-70 percent
covering the European Union. He urged changing this ratio in favour
of the region in order to diminish Slovenia's dependence on the
Union's economy.
As against Slovenia's 33, Yugoslavia has only two free trade
agreements, with the third about to be signed. Chamber of Commerce
vice-president Pavle Pasajlic said one of the biggest obstacles to
a more successful cooperation and trade liberalisation with other
countries, including Croatia, was the visa regime. He called on
Croatian authorities to step up efforts aimed at the settlement of
such issues.
Also presented today were the activities of the Croatian Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, in cooperation with other
development banks and guarantee institutions in the region and the
world, possibilities of cooperation in the realisation of projects
through the regional CARDS programme, and the results of
cooperation among the chambers of commerce in the building of a
joint information system.
Economists from the region have been invited to attend the seventh
financial and second e-business forum in Zagreb in May.
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