ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - Besides a bill on the ratification of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union, the Croatian parliament on Tuesday also tackled a bill on the ratification of an interim agreement
on trade issues with the EU. Drago Krpina of the opposition's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said the ratification of the interim agreement, which should go into force early next year, would bring the home economy into an unfavourable position, particularly the agriculture, which he said was not prepared for the fierce competition on the European market. Krpina pointed out that under the interim agreement, tariffs on EU products would be cut by 60 percent, as well as that EU members would remain entitled to subsidise export goods while Croatia was being imposed quotas for the export of its most competitive products, like fish. Miroslav Rozic of the Party of Rights/Christian Democrats (HSP/H
ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - Besides a bill on the ratification of a
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European
Union, the Croatian parliament on Tuesday also tackled a bill on the
ratification of an interim agreement on trade issues with the EU.
Drago Krpina of the opposition's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
said the ratification of the interim agreement, which should go
into force early next year, would bring the home economy into an
unfavourable position, particularly the agriculture, which he said
was not prepared for the fierce competition on the European
market.
Krpina pointed out that under the interim agreement, tariffs on EU
products would be cut by 60 percent, as well as that EU members would
remain entitled to subsidise export goods while Croatia was being
imposed quotas for the export of its most competitive products,
like fish.
Miroslav Rozic of the Party of Rights/Christian Democrats
(HSP/HKDU) bench said Croatia should wait for the SAA to be first
ratified in the European Parliament and the parliaments of EU
members.
European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said an estimate of the
effects of market liberalisation had not been made yet, but added no
significant negative impact on the economy was expected in the
first year of the application of the interim trade agreement.
Mimica said the government had bound the Agriculture Ministry to
draw up an estimate of the agreement's effects and come up with a
policy which could neutralise the short-term adverse effects on the
agriculture.
Funds in the draft state budget for 2002 are sufficient to
neutralise the negative effects expected next year, Mimica said,
adding the government would move new protective measures if
necessary.
Based on the opinions of competent parliamentary bodies, the
government has drawn up amendments to the bill on the
implementation of the SAA, whereby parliament would pass
conclusions on the signing of bilateral agreement with the
countries in the region. These, if parliament decides, could be
binding for the government and negotiating teams, said Mimica.
Parliament will vote on the bills on Wednesday.
(hina) ha