The memorandum, signed by the Croatian Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship and the Slovakian Ministry of the Economy and Energy, provides for creation of a joint consulting group.
The commission discussed ways of enhancing economic cooperation, boosting investment and ensuring the better use of economic, trade and industrial capabilities of the two countries, with special emphasis on agriculture, tourism, privatisation, industry, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Croatia's exports to Slovakia amounted to USD 41.8 million in 2005, an increase of nearly 58 per cent over the previous year, while imports increased by 3.2 per cent to reach USD 159 million.
Croatia recommended several areas of cooperation in order to reduce such a large trade deficit -- services in the tourist industry, given the fact that Croatia remains a top summer destination for Slovakian holidaymakers, and the use by Slovakia of the transport route to the northern Croatian Adriatic port of Rijeka and the eastern Danube port of Vukovar.
The Croatian delegation also met for talks with representatives of the Slovakian Chamber of Industry and Trade, and two investment promotion agencies, Croatia's APIU and Slovakia's Sirio, signed an agreement on cooperation.