ZAGREB, Nov 29 (Hina) - At the same time of Croatia's joining the World Trade Organisation as a full member, regulations of a customs tariff law will be implemented. The regulations refer to foodstuffs, namely the tariff rate will
decrease from 30 to the average of 21.2 percent, including fish and fish products. After six and a half years of negotiations, on November 30 Croatia will become a full member a full member of the WTO, organisation which covers almost 90 percent of the overall world trade, Croatian Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic said. The decrease of tariff rate for industrial products started on July 1, while the second phase referring to the schedule of specific services will be implemented as of January 1, 2001, Fizulic added. Changes also refer to other areas, Fizulic said. Joining the WTO includes an obligation to re-examine agreements with t
ZAGREB, Nov 29 (Hina) - At the same time of Croatia's joining the
World Trade Organisation as a full member, regulations of a customs
tariff law will be implemented. The regulations refer to
foodstuffs, namely the tariff rate will decrease from 30 to the
average of 21.2 percent, including fish and fish products.
After six and a half years of negotiations, on November 30 Croatia
will become a full member a full member of the WTO, organisation
which covers almost 90 percent of the overall world trade, Croatian
Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic said.
The decrease of tariff rate for industrial products started on July
1, while the second phase referring to the schedule of specific
services will be implemented as of January 1, 2001, Fizulic added.
Changes also refer to other areas, Fizulic said. Joining the WTO
includes an obligation to re-examine agreements with
telecommunications operators in Croatia.
Croatia's joining the WTO will also have an impact on free trade
agreements with EFTA and CEFTA member-countries.
It is estimated that negotiations with EFTA and CEFTA member-
countries could be concluded by the end of this year.
As it was previously announced, the signing of a free trade
agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina has been postponed.
Minister Fizulic stressed that lower tariffs had been imposed on
sugar, flour, milk, meat and oil products.
Croatia's joining the WTO will lead to the levelling of tariff rates
for certain industrial products and activities in accordance with
world's resolutions and Croatian negotiators have managed to get
longer transition period for some products: between two and five
years for sensitive industrial products, between two and seven
years for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
This means that after five years of the adjustment, an average
nominal tariff rate for industrial products should drop from the
current ten percent to 5.34 percent (early 2005). At the end of a
seven-year period of the adjustment for agricultural products and
foodstuffs, the existing tariff rate of 33.7 percent should drop to
16.4 by early 2007. Croatia should achieve this gradually, passing
a lower tariff rate for each year.
(hina) it jn