ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - The European Union (EU) and Croatia have ratified an additional protocol on mutual preferential concessions for certain wines and alcoholic beverages, the mutual recognition, protection and control of wines'
names, and the designation of strong alcohol and flavoured beverages. The protocol, signed at the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry on Tuesday, also establishes the tariff quota within which preferential tariffs are applied and export subsidies for wine cancelled. The protocol comes into force temporarily on Jan. 1, 2002, assistant minister Miroslav Bozic said, adding that in the part referring to trade concessions for wine it was asymmetric in Croatia's favour. Croatia has been granted the starting quota for the tariff-free export of wine into the EU in the amount of 45,000 hectolitres. This will be increased to a maximum of 70,000 hl. Simultaneously, the EU
ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - The European Union (EU) and Croatia have
ratified an additional protocol on mutual preferential concessions
for certain wines and alcoholic beverages, the mutual recognition,
protection and control of wines' names, and the designation of
strong alcohol and flavoured beverages.
The protocol, signed at the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry on
Tuesday, also establishes the tariff quota within which
preferential tariffs are applied and export subsidies for wine
cancelled.
The protocol comes into force temporarily on Jan. 1, 2002,
assistant minister Miroslav Bozic said, adding that in the part
referring to trade concessions for wine it was asymmetric in
Croatia's favour.
Croatia has been granted the starting quota for the tariff-free
export of wine into the EU in the amount of 45,000 hectolitres. This
will be increased to a maximum of 70,000 hl. Simultaneously, the EU
has been granted the export of 8,000 hl, free of tariff and export
subsidy, to increase to a maximum of 12,000 hl.
The quota granted for the export of domestic wines to the EU market
exceeds the current export, and Bozic estimates the quota will not
be filled in a short time.
The additional protocol ratified today is the last document
referring to the trade part of any product, either industrial or
agricultural, in connection with a Croatia-EU Stabilisation and
Association Agreement, Bozic said.
(hina) ha sb