Update Implementation of CEFTA Renata Vitez Director

1. Update Implementation of CEFTARenata VitezDirector Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Regional Coordination Meeting Brussels, 31 March 2011

2. Existing CEFTA Structures Joint Committee Secretariat Subcommittee on Agriculture and SPS Subcommittee on NTBs and TBT Subcommittee on Customs and RO Working Group on Trade in Services Working Group on TBT CEFTA Secretariat

3. Implementation of CEFTA - Summary

4. Priorities in 2011 (1) • Liberalisation of Trade in Agricultural Products CiO is committed to follow up on the effects of such liberalisation on the CEFTA economies once it enters into force. • Liberalisation of Trade in Services During its Chairmanship UNMIK/Kosovo will focus on further exploring the possibilities for gradual liberalisation of trade in services among the CEFTA Parties. • Investment CiO will work closely with the OECD team on mapping FDIs and investment location within the CEFTA Parties while identifying the patterns of regional distribution and key factors leading to the geographical concentration of sectors and clusters. • Public Procurement and Competition Rules Further screening of the progress in the implementation of the CEFTA 2006 Government Procurement clauses will be continued in the close cooperation with the Public Procurement Agencies and the OECD-SIGMA team.  A special attention will be given to defining and implementing a common format of notification of State Aid, with the objective to set up an operational notification system in 2011. CEFTA Secretariat

5. Priorities in 2011 (2) • CEFTA Trade Portal There are at least three up-dates foreseen in the year 2011.  Perceiving it as a useful tool for business and other interested parties, the Chair encourages the users of the Portal to contribute with their comments and suggestions in order to improve its performances and ensure the output which suits to their needs. These will be incorporated in the revision of the Portal at the end of 2011. • Monitoring Instrument for NTBs Emphasis will be put on the implementation of the OECD project on creating an instrument tool for monitoring the NTBs. • Customs Cooperation and Rules of Origin Special attention will be given to the enhancing of the capacities of customs authorities and ensuring full implementation of diagonal cumulation based on common rules of origin. These activities will be complemented with the IFC Project on Regional Trade Logistic in SEE. • Protection of Intellectual Property Rights The main goal is to ensure the adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights in accordance with international standards and conventions listed in Annex 7 to the Agreement. • Contingent Protection Rules The aim is to have these rules understood and implemented in a way that does not unnecessarily impede the trade among the CEFTA Parties. CEFTA Secretariat

6. Tentative Calendar of Events 2011 CEFTA Secretariat

7. Chairmanships 2011 - 2012 CEFTA Secretariat

8. Technical Assistance Needs 2011 - 2012 • TA needs in the area of NTBs elimination covered by the EC • CEFTA Trade Portal supported by GIZ • Additional TA needed for the following priorities: • TA to support activities of the CEFTA Working Group on Services in the preparation and execution of negotiations on the liberalistion of services • TA to promote the importance of trade liberalisation for international competitiveness of respective economies and the Region as a whole (strengthening of existing value chains; identification of potential value chains; their upgrading and inclusion into the global value chains; elimination of existing trade barriers, prevention of future potential trade barriers, etc.) CEFTA Secretariat

9. www.cefta.int CEFTA Secretariat