ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - Croatia is willing to accept any form of an agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United States on regulating trade in audio-visual services, which is a precondition for completing the talks on
Croatia's admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - Croatia is willing to accept any form of an
agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United States on
regulating trade in audio-visual services, which is a precondition
for completing the talks on Croatia's admission to the World Trade
Organisation (WTO). #L#
Croatia's Economy Minister Nenad Porges and the head of the
Croatian Government negotiating delegation, Assistant Economy
Minister Neven Mimica, on Tuesday reminded that Croatia had stated
transparently in its proposal that in the policy of protection of
cultural identity it would follow all regulations observed by the
EU member-countries.
Porges and Mimica stated this in a lengthy explanation accompanying
questions regarding the regulation of trade in audio-visual
services, which is a precondition for Croatia's admission to the
WTO.
"The best proof that Croatia's proposal is pro-European is the fact
that 14 out of 15 EU member-countries were ready to accept it,
except for France, which in the last moment presented stands which
obstructed the adoption of a consensus on Croatia's proposal
regarding the regulation of trade in audio-visual products", the
letter said.
"Croatia has been caught in the area of unresolved global issues
which have not been dealt with in the WTO system", the two officials
said.
An agreement on possible models of regulating the issue of audio-
visual services in countries wishing to access the WTO, including
Croatia, will have to be found in a compromise, which should be
reached in direct talks between the main advocators of the two
opposed approaches.
The Economy Ministry believes that it is neither in the interest of
the United States nor in the interest of the EU to worsen the current
situation in the process of admission of new members and only a
month and a half ahead of a WTO ministerial conference in Seattle,
which is the right place to make the final decision on models of
including the issue of audio-visual services in the WTO system.
(hina) rml