The acting director of the CEFTA Secretariat, Danijela Gačević, has stated that the trade facilitation decisions pending adoption represent significant advantages for businesses and consumers.
Gačević participated in a conference organized by German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, where ministers from the Western Balkans gathered in Berlin to commemorate a decade of the Berlin Process and outline future agendas.
The conference brought together ministers, business leaders and international experts, focusing on assessing progress toward establishing a Common Regional Market. Economic conditions in the region, increasingly aligned with European integration, were central to discussions, along with ten important CEFTA decisions on trade facilitation awaiting approval.
Gačević highlighted the importance of these decisions in achieving full freedom of movement for goods and services. “Adopting these agreements would be a crucial step toward a Common Regional Market aligned with EU standards. Each agreement represents a package of benefits for businesses and consumers, bringing us closer not only to each other but also to the European Union. Therefore, it is vital that we adopt them as soon as possible,” she stated.
CEFTA agreements are approved by the Joint Committee in the form of Decisions, Additional Protocols, or Recommendations. Currently, ten such agreements are pending adoption across various areas, including e-commerce, package delivery services, prevention of unjustified geo-blocking, professional qualifications, intellectual property, risk management, travel agency services, motor vehicle insurance, recognition of authorized economic operators, and dispute resolution.
The conference conclusions emphasized the growing significance of the Western Balkans on the European economic stage. Progress within the Common Regional Market paves the way for the region to access the EU’s single market, leveraging opportunities provided by the EU Growth Plan.
Ahead of the conference, a Business Forum gathered German companies and those from the Western Balkans for B2B events aimed at fostering joint supply chains and promoting investment opportunities in the region.
