ITALIANS INFORMED OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACH TO CRO MARKET

ZAGREB, Sept 17 (Hina) - Italian businessmen exhibiting their goods at the International Autumn Trade Fair in Zagreb, were informed about possibilities of successful entry into the Croatian market on Wednesday evening at a lecture organised by the Italian foreign trade institute in the Croatian capital. A dozen Croatian experts notified Italians of legal aspects of negotiating terms of contracts, of the banking system in the country and activities in connection with the Customs system in the country. Italian Ambassador to Croatia, Francesco Olivieri, said he was pleased with a success achieved by the Croatian economy, and added that good results of the Croatian economy were proof that Croatia was quickly approaching European associations. Italy has been one of Croatia's most important trade partners for many years. In the first half of 1997, the trade between the two countries amounted to about US$ 1.3 billion, accounting for one fifth of the entire amount of Croatia's foreign trade. The trade with Italy rose by 19.4 percent in first six months of 1997 in comparison with the same period last year. In the first half of 1997 the Italian export to Croatia was worth 813 million dollars whereas the Croatian export to Italy amounted to almost a half billion dollars. (hina) mš 172313 MET sep 97