RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
7 August 1998
(98-3127)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
EXAMINATION OF THE INTERIM AGREEMENTS BETWEEN
THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND BULGARIA, AND ROMANIA
Communication from the European Communities
The following information has been received from the Permanent Delegation of the European
Commission, with the request that it be distributed to WTO Members:
A. Timetables for the elimination of barriers to trade
B. Trade statistics
_______________
A. TIMETABLES FOR THE ELIMINATION OF BARRIERS TO TRADE
A1. Interim Agreement between the European Communities (EC) and Bulgaria
Entry into force of the Interim Agreement: 31 December 1993
Entry into force of the Europe Agreement (EA):  1 February 19951
Additional Protocol:  Decisions 94/49/EC and 94/55/ECSC of 20 December 1993(Copenhagen Protocol) - OJ No. L 25 of 29 January 1994
Additional Protocol (Textiles):  Decision 94/ 277/EC of 20 December 1993 - OJ No. L 123 of
17 May 1994Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters:  Decision 94/391/EC of 27 June 1994
(Compensation Bulgaria/Romania) - OJ No. L 178 of 12 July 1994
Second Additional Protocol:  Decision 94/981/EC of 22 December 1994 (Alignment
Bulgaria/Romania) - OJ No. L 378 of 31 December 1994
Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters (Textiles Protocol):  Decision 95/131/EC of20 February 1995 (Enlargement Textiles) - OJ No. L 94 of 26 April 1995
Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters (Textiles Protocol):  Decision 96/225/EC of
22 December 1995 (Revision Textiles Protocol) - OJ No. L 81 of 30 March 1996
Third Additional Protocol:  Decision 96/275/EC of 22 April 1996 (Alignment Textiles
Bulgaria) - OJ No. L 103 of 26 April 1996
                                                     
1Text of the EA:  Official Journal of the European Communities (OJ) L 358 of 31 December 1994.WT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
Page 2
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Bulgaria
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II(a):  on 01/01/94Annex II(b):  on 01/01/95Annex III: on 01/01/95Annex IV:  at entry into force
Annex V: on 01/01/98Annex VI: on 01/01/2002
Quantitative restrictions
(QRs) on imports and
measures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force At entry into force
Annex VIII: on 01/01/1998
Duties on exports On 01/01/1998 On 01/01/1998
QRs on exports and
measures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force At entry into force (Annex IX: on
01/01/1998)
Textiles Protocol
EC Bulgaria
Customs duties On 01/01/97 Same regime as for industrial products
other than ECSC and textiles (except forAnnex VI:  on 01.01.2001)
QRs and measures havingequivalent effect On 01/01/98 At entry into force
ECSC Protocol
EC Bulgaria
Customs duties On 01/01/96 Steel/coal:  Annex II:  at entry into force
Steel:.  Annex III:  on 01/01/1998
Steel /coal:.  Annex IV:  on 01/01/2002
QRs and measures having
equivalent effect on importsSteel:  at entry into force
Coal:  at entry into force (except forAnnex V:  on 01/01/97)At  entry into force
Processed agricultural products
EC Bulgaria
Customs duties and/or
variable components01/01/1993 - 31/12/1995:
Progressive reductions without
quantitative limits (Annex I)
The same in-quota (Annex II)1996 - 31/12/1999:
Progressive reduction of customs duties
(Annex III)
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes XI(a), XI(b), XII(a), XII(b), XIII(a), XIII(b),
XIV(a) and XIV(b).
A2. Interim Agreement between the European Communities (EC) and Romania
Entry into force of the Interim Agreement: 1 May 1993
Entry into force of the EA:  1 February 19952
Additional Protocol:  Decisions 94/48/EC and 94/54/ECSC of 20 December 1993Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters:  Decision 94/392/EC of 27 June 1994
Second Additional Protocol:  Decisions 94 /982 and 94/983/ECSC of 12 December 1994
Agreement (Textile Protocol) in the form of an exchange of letters:  Decision 95/131/EC of
20 February 1995
Agreement (Textile Protocol) in the form of an  exchange of letters:  Decision 96/224/EC of
22 December 1995.
                                                     
2Text of the EA: OJ L 357 of 31 December 1994.WT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
Page 3
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Romania
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II(a):  on 01/01/94Annex II(b):  on 01/01/95Annex III: on 01/01/95Annex IV:  at entry into force
Annex V: on 01/01/98Annex VI: on 01/01/2002Annex VII:  on 01/01/2002 (quotas)
Other than Annexes IV-VI:  01/01/2002
QRs on imports and
measures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force At entry into force
Annex VIII:  on 01/01/2001
Duties on exports On 01/01/1998 On 01/01/1998
QRs on exports andmeasures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force At entry into force (Annex IX: on
01/01/1998)
Textiles Protocol
EC Romania
Customs duties On 01/01/97 Annex IV:  same regime as for industrial
products other than ECSC and textilesOther than Annex IV:  on 01.01.2002
QRs and measures havingequivalent effect on imports On 01/01/98 At entry into force
ECSC Protocol
EC Romania
Customs duties On 01/01/96 Steel:  Annex II(a):  at entry into force
Annex II(b):  on 01/01/1998
Other than Annexes II(a), II(b):  on
01/01/2002Coal:   at entry into force
QRs and measures havingequivalent effect on importsSteel:  at entry into force
Coal:  on  01/01/1994 (forAnnex III:  on 01/01/97)At  entry into force
Processed agricultural products :  See Protocol 3.
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes XI(a), XI(b), XII(a), XII(b) and XIII.WT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
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B. TRADE STATISTICS
B1. EU trade with Bulgaria
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from Bulgaria in 1993-1997
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
Billion ECU % Annual % change %
1989 1.5 0.5 +0.9 300 5 15 0.36 0.12
1990 0.9 0.6 +0.3 150 -40 20 0.22 0.13
1991 1.0 0.8 +0.3 125 11 33 0.24 0.15
1992 1.1 0.9 +0.2 122 10 12 0.25 0.18
1993 1.3 0.9 +0.4 144 18 0 0.28 0.20
1994 1.6 1.3 +0.3 120 23 44 0.30 0.25
1995 (EU-15) 2.0 1.8 +0.22 112 17* 29* 0.36 0.34
1996 1.7 1.7 +0.02 101 -15 -5 0.27 0.29
1997 1.8 2.1 -0.3 86 6 23 0.25 0.31
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with Bulgaria.
Table 2:  Most important EU-15 exports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 381 21 -1
2.  Textiles (XI) 372 20 36
3.  Chemical products (VI) 189 10 5
4.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 158 8 2
5.  Transport equipment (XVII) 140 7 -17
6.  Base metals & articles (XV) 110 6 0
7.  Plastic products (VII) 87 5 5
Subtotal 1,437 78 6
ALL SECTORS 1,834 100 7
Table 3:  Most important EU-15 imports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Base metals & articles (XV) 496 24 37
2.  Textiles (XI) 477 23 33
3.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 236 11.5 7
4.  Chemical products (VI) 227 11 7
5.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 153 7 3
6.  Footwear, umbrellas, etc. (XII) 110 5 37
7.  Mineral products (V) 72 3 56
Subtotal 1,771 85 23
ALL SECTORS 2,082 100 23
Source:  Eurostat.WT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
Page 5
B2. EU trade with Romania
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from Romania in 1993-1997
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
Billion ECU % Annual % change %
1989 0.7 2.5 -1.9 28 12 14 0.16 0.57
1990 1.2 1.6 -0.4 75 78 -37 0.30 0.35
1991 1.3 1.5 -0.1 87 8 -9 0.31 0.30
1992 1.9 1.4 +0.5 136 39 -4 0.43 0.29
1993 2.3 1.7 +0.6 135 24 20 0.48 0.35
1994 2.6 2.5 +0.1 105 14 49 0.49 0.47
1995 (EU-12) 3.6 3.3 +0.3 109 34 30 0.60 0.57
1995 (EU-15) 3.8 3.4 +0.4 112 35* 28* 0.67 0.62
1996 4.4 3.5 +0.9 126 16 3 0.71 0.62
1997 5.0 4.4 +0.6 113 14 26 0.73 0.66
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with Romania.
Table 2:  Most important EU-15 exports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 1,399 28 10
2.  Textiles (XI) 1,180 23 31
3.  Chemical products (VI) 413 8 7
4.  Base metals & articles (XV) 261 5.2 0
5.  Agriculture incl. processed (I-IV) 250 5 -18
6.  Transport equipment (XVII) 207 4 19
7.  Hides and skins (VIII) 206 4 18
Subtotal 3,916 78 13
ALL SECTORS 5,004 100 13
Table 3:  Most important EU-15 imports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Textiles (XI) 1,570 35 29
2.  Base metals & articles (XV) 719 16 29
3.  Footwear, umbrellas, etc. (XII) 500 11 32
4.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 381 8.5 19
5.  Misc. manufactures (XX) 360 8 9
6.  Agriculture incl. processed (I-IV) 153 3.5 14
7.  Chemical products (VI) 130 3 -13
Subtotal 3,813 86 24
ALL SECTORS 4,405 100 23
Source:  Eurostat.WT/REG1/5
WT/REG2/4
Page 6
B3. EU-15 trade with 10 Associated CEECs3
Table 1:  EU-15 exports to and imports from 10 Associated CEECs in 1996-1997
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
Billion ECU % Annual % change %
1996 51.3 47.1 +4.2 109 … … 10.2 8.1
1997 78.2 56.6 +21.6 138 52 20 10.9 8.4
Table 2:  Most important EU-15 exports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 24,391 31 28
2.  Transport equipment (XVII) 9,195 12 26
3.  Textiles (XI) 7,213 9.2 17
4.  Chemical products (VI) 7,046 9 22
5.  Base metals & articles (XV) 5,864 7.5 28
6.  Plastic products (VII) 4,855 6.2 27
7.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 4,766 6 6
Subtotal 63,330 81 23
ALL SECTORS 78,266 100 23
Table 3:  Most important EU-15 imports in 1997
Sector (Common Customs Tariff sections) Million ECU % share of total % change over 1996
1.  Machinery & electrical (XVI) 12,736 22.5 40
2.  Textiles (XI) 7,972 14 14
3.  Base metals & articles (XV) 7,463 13 18
4.  Transport equipment (XVII) 5,310 9 29
5.  Misc. manufactures (XX) 3,464 6 14
6.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 3,056 5.4 5
7.  Mineral products (V) 3,007 5 2
Subtotal 43,008 76 23
ALL SECTORS 56,656 100 20
Source:  Eurostat.
__________
                                                     
3Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak
Republic and Slovenia.