WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG149/1
8 April 2003
(03-1927)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BULGARIA AND ESTONIA
The following text reproduces the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria
and the Republic of Estonia.1
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FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA
PREAMBLE
The Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Estonia , hereinafter called the Contracting
Parties,
Reaffirming  their firm commitment to democracy based on the rule of law, human rights and
fundamental freedoms,
Recalling  their intention to participate actively in the process of economic integration as an
important dimension of the stability on the European continent and expressing their preparedness to
co-operate in seeking ways and means to strengthen this process,
Considering  the rights and obligations arising out of the Europe Agreement for Association
between the European Communities and their Member States, on the one part, and the Republic of
Bulgaria, on the other part, and the Europe Ag reement for Association between the European
Communities and their Member States, on the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, on the other part,
Reaffirming  their firm commitment to the principles of market economy, which constitutes
the basis for their relations,
Recalling  their firm commitment to the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-
operation in Europe, the Paris Charter, and, in particular, the principles contained in the finaldocument of the Bonn Conference on Economic Co-operation in Europe,
Resolved  to this end to eliminate progressively th e obstacles to substantially all their mutual
trade, in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT
1994) and the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO),
Firmly convinced  that this Agreement will foster the intensification of mutually beneficial
trade relations between them and contribute to the process of integration in Europe,
                                                     
1 The Annexes and Protocols of the Agreement have been submitted to the Secretariat for consultation
by interested Members. (Office 1174).WT/REG149/1
Page 2
Considering  that no provision of this Agreement may be interpreted as exempting the Parties
from their obligations under other international agreements and organizations, especially the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and the Agreem ent establishing the World Trade Organization,
Determined  to implement this Free Trade Agreement with the objective to preserve and
protect the environment and to ensure an optimal use of natural resources in accordance with the
principle of sustainable growth,
Hereby agreed  as follows:
Article 1
Objectives
1. The Contracting Parties shall establish a free trade area in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement and in conformity with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
1994 and with the Understanding on the Interpretation of Article XXIV of the Agreement establishingthe World Trade Organization.
2. The objectives of this Agreement are:
(a) to promote through the expansion of mutual trade the harmonious development of
economic relations between the Contracting Parties and thus to foster the advance of
economic activity in the Contracting Parties, the improvement of living andemployment conditions, and increased productivity and financial stability;
(b) to provide fair conditions of competitio n for trade between the Contracting Parties;
(c) to contribute in this way, by the removal of barriers to trade, to the harmonious
development and expansion of world trade;
(d) to enhance the co-operation between the Contracting Parties.
CHAPTER I: INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
Article 2
Scope
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to industrial products originating in the Contracting
Parties.
2. The term "industrial products" means for the purpose of this Agreement the products falling
within Chapters 25 to 97 of the Harmonized Comm odity Description and Coding System, with the
exception of the products listed in Annex I to this Agreement.
Article 3
Customs Duties On Imports And Charges Having Equivalent Effect
1. No new customs duties on imports or charges having equivalent effect shall be introduced in
trade between the Contracting Parties.WT/REG149/1
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2. The Contracting Parties shall abolish between them on the date of entry into force of this
Agreement all customs duties on imports and all charges having equivalent effect.
Article 4
Fiscal Duties
The provisions of Article 3 shall also apply to customs duties of a fiscal nature.
Article 5
Customs Duties On Exports And Charges Having Equivalent Effect
1. No new customs duties on exports or charges having equivalent effect shall be introduced in
trade between the Contracting Parties.
2. The Contracting Parties shall abolish between them on the date of entry into force of this
Agreement all customs duties on exports and all charges having equivalent effect.
Article 6
Quantitative Restrictions On Imports And Measures Having Equivalent Effect
1. No new quantitative restrictions on imports or measures having equivalent effect shall be
introduced in trade between the Contracting Parties.
2. All quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect on imports of products
originating in the Contracting Parties shall be abolished on the date of entry into force of this
Agreement.
Article 7
Quantitative Restrictions On Exports And Measures Having Equivalent Effect
1. No new quantitative restrictions on exports or measures having equivalent effect shall be
introduced in trade between the Contracting Parties.
2. All quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect on exports of products
originating in the Contracting Parties shall be abolished on the date of entry into force of this
Agreement.
Article 8
Technical Barriers To Trade
1. The Contracting Parties shall cooperate and exchange information in the field of
standardisation, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation, with the aim of reducing
technical barriers to trade.
2. The rights and obligations of the Contracting Parties related to standards, technical regulations
and conformity assessment procedures shall be stipulated as governed by the Agreement on Technical
Barriers to Trade of the WTO.WT/REG149/1
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3. Each Contracting Party, upon a request by the other Contracting Party, shall submit
information on particular individual cases of standards, technical regulations and conformity
assessment procedures.
4. To eliminate technical barriers and effectively implement this Agreement, the Contracting
Parties can on the basis of this Article conclude an agreement on mutual recognition of test results,certificates of conformity and other documents directly or indirectly related to conformity assessment
of products which are the subject of the goods exchange between the Contracting Parties on the basis
of the regulations in force in the importing state.
5. A specification of conditions and methods for conformity assessment shall be prepared in the
mutual agreement by the competent national authorities for carrying out procedures of conformity
assessment on the basis of the regulations in force in the exporting state.
CHAPTER II: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Article 9
Scope
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to  agricultural products originating in the
Contracting Parties.
2. The term "agricultural products" means for the purpose of this Agreement the products falling
within Chapters 1 to 24 of the Harmonized Commod ity Description and Coding System including the
products listed in Annex I to this Agreement.
Article 10
Exchange Of Concessions
1. The Contracting Parties declare their readiness to foster, in so far as their agricultural policies
allow, the harmonious development of the trade in agricultural products, and to discuss this issue
periodically within the Joint Committee.
2. For the achievement of this objective, the Contracting Parties shall grant each other the
concessions specified in Protocol A to this Agreement, providing for measures to promote the trade in
agricultural products, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and those laid down in
Protocol A.
3. Taking account of:
(a) the role of agriculture in their economies;
(b) the development of trade in agricultural products between the Contracting Parties;
(c) the particular sensitivity of the agricultural products;
(d) the rules of their agricultural policies;
(e) the harmonisation of the agricultural policies of the Contracting Parties with the EU
Common Agricultural Policy;WT/REG149/1
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(f) the consequences of the multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT and the
WTO,
the Contracting Parties shall examine the possibilities of mutually granting further concessions.
 
Article 11
Concessions And Agricultural Policies
1. Without prejudice to the concessions granted under Article 10 of this Agreement, the
provisions of this Chapter shall not restrict in any way the pursuance of the respective agricultural
policies of the Contracting Parties or taking of any measures under such policies, including the
implementation of the respective provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture within the framework ofthe WTO.
2. The Contracting Parties shall notify the Joint Committee of any changes in their respective
agricultural policies pursued, or measures applied which may affect the conditions of agricultural
trade between them as provided for in this Ag reement. Prompt consultations within the Joint
Committee shall be held, upon request of any C ontracting Party, to examine the situation.
Article 12
Specific Safeguards
Notwithstanding other provisions of this Agreement and, in particular Article 25, if, given the
particular sensitivity of the agricultural products, imports of products originating in a Contracting
Party, which are subject to concessions granted under this Agreement, cause serious disturbances to
the markets of the other Contracting Party, the Contracting Party concerned shall enter into
consultations immediately to find the appropriate solution. Pending such solution, the Contracting
Party concerned may take the measures it deems necessary.
Article 13
 
Veterinary, Sanitary And Phytosanitary Measures
1. Measures concerning veterinary and phytosanitary control between the Contracting Parties
shall be harmonised on the basis of the respective EU legislation.
2. The veterinary and sanitary measures and the work of the veterinary services shall be in
accordance with the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Office of Epizootics and
other international conventions in this field.
3. The phytosanitary measures and the work of the plant protection service shall be in
accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention and other international conventions inthis field.
4. The Contracting Parties shall implement the sanitary and phytosanitary measures in a way
corresponding to the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the WTO.
5. The Contracting Parties shall apply their regulations in veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary
matters in a non-discriminatory fashion and shall not introduce any new measures that have the effectof unduly obstructing trade.WT/REG149/1
Page 6
CHAPTER III: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 14
Rules Of Origin And Co-Operation In Customs Administration
1. Protocol B to this Agreement lays down the rules of origin and related methods of
administrative co-operation.
2. The Contracting Parties shall take appropriate measures, including regular reviews by the
Joint Committee and arrangements for administrative co-operation, to ensure that the provisions of
Protocol B to this Agreement and Articles 3 to  8, 10 to 13, 15 and 26 of this Agreement are
effectively and harmoniously applied, and to reduce, as far as possible, the formalities imposed ontrade, and to achieve mutually satisfactory solutions to any difficulties arising from the operation of
those provisions.
3. The mutual assistance between administrative authorities in customs matters shall take place
in accordance with the provisions of Protocol C to this Agreement.
Article 15
Internal Taxation
1. The Contracting Parties shall refrain from any measure or practice of an internal fiscal nature
establishing, whether directly or indirectly, discrimination between the products originating in theContracting Parties.
2. Products exported to the territory of one of the Contracting Parties may not benefit from
repayment of internal taxation in excess of the amount of direct or indirect taxation imposed on them.
Article 16
General Exceptions
This Agreement shall not preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in
transit justified on the grounds of:
(a) the protection of public morality or public security;
(b) the protection of health and life of humans;
(c) the protection of animals and plants;
(d) the environmental protection;
(e) the preservation of exhaustible natural resources if such measures are made effective
in conjunction with restrictions on domestic production or consumption;
(f) the protection of national treasures of artistic, historic or archaeological value;
(g) the protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property;
(h) the importations or exportations of gold and silver.WT/REG149/1
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Such prohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, constitute a means of arbitrary
discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between the Contracting Parties.
Article 17
Security Exceptions
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Contracting Party from taking any appropriate
measure, which it considers necessary:
(a) to prevent the disclosure of information contrary to its essential security interests;
(b) for the protection of its essential security interests or for the implementation of
international obligations or national policies;
(i) relating to the traffic in arms, ammunition and implements of war, provided
that such measures do not impair the conditions of competition in respect of
products not intended for specifically military purposes, and to such traffic in
other goods, materials and services as is carried on directly or indirectly forthe purpose of supplying a military establishment; or
(ii) relating to the non-proliferation of biological and chemical weapons, nuclear
weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; or
(iii) taken in time of war or other serious international tension, constituting threat
of war.
Article 18
State Monopolies
1. The Contracting Parties shall adjust prog ressively any State monopoly of a commercial
character so as to ensure that no discrimination regarding the conditions under which goods are
procured and marketed exists between nationals of the Contracting Parties. The Contracting Parties
shall inform each other about the measures adopted to implement this objective.
2. The provisions of this Article shall apply to any body through which the competent authorities
of the Contracting Parties, in law or in fact, eith er directly or indirectly, supervise, determine or
appreciably influence imports or exports between the Contracting Parties. These provisions shall
likewise apply to monopolies delegated by a Contracting Party to other bodies.
Article 19
Payments
1. Payments in freely convertible currencies relating to trade in goods between the Contracting
Parties and the transfer of such payments to the territory of the Contracting Party, where the creditor
resides, shall be free from any restrictions.
2. The Contracting Parties shall refrain from any ex change or administrative restrictions on the
grant, repayment or acceptance of short and medium-term credits related to trade in goods in which a
resident of a Contracting Party participates.WT/REG149/1
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3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, any measures concerning current payments
connected with the movement of goods shall be in  conformity with the co nditions laid down under
Article VIII of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund.
Article 20
Rules Of Competition Concerning Undertakings
1. The following is incompatible with the proper fu nctioning of this Agreement in so far as they
may affect trade between the Contracting Parties:
(a) all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and
concerted practices between undertakings which have as their object or effect the
prevention, restriction or distortion of competition;
(b) abuse by one or more undertakings of a dominant position in the territories of the
Contracting Parties as a whole or in a substantial part thereof.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall apply to the activities of all undertakings
including public undertakings and undertakings to which the Contracting Parties grant special or
exclusive rights. Undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest orhaving the character of a revenue-producing monopoly, shall be subject to provisions of paragraph 1
in so far as the application of these provisions does not obstruct the performance, in law or in fact, of
the particular public tasks assigned to them.
3. With regard to products referred to in Chapter II the provisions stipulated in paragraph 1 (a)
of this Article shall not apply to such agreements, decisions and practices which form an integral partof a national market organisation.
4. If a Contracting Party considers that a given practice is incompatible with paragraphs 1, 2 and
3 of this Article, and if such practice causes or threatens to cause serious prejudice to the interests of
that Contracting Party or material injury to its domestic industry, it may take appropriate measures
under the conditions and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 29.
Article 21
State Aid
1. Any aid granted by a State being a Contracting Party to this Agreement or through State
resources in any form whatever, which distorts or th reatens to distort competition by favouring certain
undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it may affect trade between theContracting Parties, be incompatible with the proper functioning of this Agreement.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to products referred to in
Chapter II.
3. The criteria on the basis of which the practices contrary to paragraph 1 of this Article shall be
assessed, as well as the rules for their implementation, have to be compatible with the respectivecriteria applied within the European Union and the implementing rules agreed between each of the
Contracting Parties and the European Union.
4. The Contracting Parties shall ensure transparency in the area of state aid, inter alia , by
reporting annually to the Joint Committee the total amount and the distribution of the aid given and byWT/REG149/1
Page 9
providing to the other Contracting Party, upon request, information on aid schemes and on particular
individual cases of state aid.
5. If a Contracting Party considers that a particular practice:
(a) is incompatible with the terms of paragraph 1, and is not adequately dealt with under
the implementing rules referred to in paragraph 3, or
(b) in the absence of such rules, referred to in paragraph 3, causes or threatens to cause
serious prejudice to the interests of that Contracting Party or material injury to its
domestic industry,
it may take appropriate measures under the conditions of and in accordance with the provisions of
Article 29. Such appropriate measures may only be taken in conformity with the procedures and under
the conditions laid down by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and by the Agreement
establishing the WTO and any other relevant instruments negotiated under their auspices which areapplicable between the Contracting Parties.
Article 22
Public Procurement
1. The Contracting Parties consider the liberalisation of their respective public procurement
markets as an objective of this Agreement. The Contracting Parties aim at opening up of the award of
public procurement contracts on the basis of non-discrimination and reciprocity.
2. The Contracting Parties shall progressively develop their respective regulations, conditions
and practices for procurement with a view to grant suppliers of the other Contracting Party access to
contract award procedures on their respective public procurement markets according to the provisions
of the Agreement on Government Procurement in Annex IV to the Agreement establishing the WTO.
3. The Joint Committee shall examine developments related to the achievement of the objectives
of this Article and may recommend practical modalities of implementing the provisions of paragraph2 so as to ensure free access, transparency and full balance of rights and obligations.
4. During the examination referred to in paragraph 3, the Joint Committee may consider,
especially in the light of international developmen ts and regulations in this area, the possibility of
extending the coverage and/or the degree of the market opening provided for in paragraph 2.
Article 23
Protection Of Intellectual Property
1. The Contracting Parties confirm their will to respect the obligations arising from the WTO
Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, constituting Annex Ic to the
Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO, as well as other conventions on intellectual property
protection, signed by both Contracting Parties and listed in Annex II to this Agreement.
2. For the purposes of this Agreement the term "intellectual property" refers to all category of
intellectual property such as: copyright, comprising computer programs and databases, and
neighbouring rights, inventor’s rights, trademarks and decorative patterns, geographical indications,
including appellation of origin, industrial designs, utility models, patents, topographies of integrated
circuits, undisclosed information, including know-how.WT/REG149/1
Page 10
3. In fulfilment of their commitments under internat ional agreements and legislation in the field
of intellectual property rights, the Contracting Parties shall not grant to nationals of the other
Contracting Party treatment less favourable than that accorded to nationals of any third country.
4. The Contracting Parties shall co-operate in matters of intellectual property. They shall hold,
upon request of a Contracting Party, expert consultations on these matters, in particular, on activitiesrelating to the existing or to future international conventions on harmonisation, administration and
enforcement of intellectual property and on activities in international organisations, such as the,
World Intellectual Property Organization, as well as relations of the Contracting Parties with any third
country on matters concerning intellectual property.
5. The implementation of this Article shall be regularly assessed by the Contracting Parties.
Upon difficulties in trade in relation to the rights of intellectual property, any of the Contracting
Parties may request urgent consultations for finding mutually acceptable solutions.
Article 24
Dumping
If a Contracting Party finds that dumping within the meaning of Article VI of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 is taking place in trade relations governed by this Agreement, it
may take appropriate measures against that practice in accordance with Article VI of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and the Agre ement on Implementation of Article VI of the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 29.
Article 25
General Safeguards
Where any product is being imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions
as to cause or threaten to cause:
(a) serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive products in the
territory of the importing Contracting Party, or
(b) serious disturbances in any related sector of the economy or difficulties which could
bring about serious deterioration in the economic situation of a region,
the Contracting Party concerned may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 29.
Article 26
Structural Adjustment
1. Exceptional measures of limited duration which derogate from the provisions of Article 29
may be taken by any of the Contracting Parties in the form of increased customs duties.
2. These measures may only concern infant industries, or certain sectors undergoing
restructuring or facing serious difficulties, particularly where these difficulties produce important
social problems.WT/REG149/1
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3. Customs duties on imports applicable in the Contracting Party concerned to products
originating in the other Contracting Party introduced by these measures may not exceed 25 per cent
ad valorem  and shall maintain an element of preference for products originating in the other
Contracting Party. The total value of imports of the product which are subject to these measures may
not exceed 15 per cent of total imports of industrial products from the other Contracting Party asdefined in Chapter I during the last year for which statistics are available.
4. These measures shall be applied for a period not exceeding two consecutive years.
5. No such measures shall be introduced in respect of a product if more than three years have
elapsed since the entry into force of this Agreement.
6. The Contracting Party concerned shall inform the Joint Committee of any exceptional
measures it intends to take and, upon request of the other Contracting Party, consultations shall be
held within the Joint Committee on such measures and the sectors to which they apply prior theirintroduction. When taking such measures the Contracting Party concerned shall provide the Joint
Committee with a schedule for the elimination of the customs duties introduced under this Article.
This schedule shall provide for a phasing out of these customs duties starting at the latest one year
after their introduction, at equal annual rates. The Joint Committee may decide on a different
schedule.
Article 27
Re-Export And Serious Shortage
1. Where compliance with the provisions of Articles 5 and 7 leads to:
(a) re-export towards a third country against which the exporting Contracting Party
maintains for the product concerned quantitative export restrictions, export duties or
measures or charges having equivalent effect; or
(b) a serious shortage, or threat thereof, of a product essential to the exporting
Contracting Party;
and where the situations referred to above give rise or are likely to give rise to major difficulties for
the exporting Contracting Party, that Contracting Party may take appropriate measures under the
conditions and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 29.
2. Measures taken as a result of the situation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be eliminated when
the conditions no longer justify their maintenance and in case of the situation referred to in a
paragraph 1 (b) shall be applied in a non-discriminatory manner.
Article 28
Fulfilment Of Obligations
1. The Contracting Parties shall take all necessary measures required to fulfill their obligations
under this Agreement. They shall see to it that the objectives set out in this Agreement are attained.
2. If a Contracting Party considers that the other Contracting Party has failed to fulfil an
obligation under this Agreement, the Contracting Party concerned may take appropriate measures
under the conditions and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 29.WT/REG149/1
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Article 29
Procedure For The Application Of Safeguard Measures
1. Before initiating the procedure for the application of safeguard measures set out in the
following paragraphs of this Article, the Contract ing Parties shall endeavour to solve any differences
between them through direct consultations.
2. In the event of a Contracting Party subjecting imports of products liable to give rise to the
situation referred to in Article 25 to an administrative procedure having as its purpose the rapid
provision of information on the trend of trade fl ows, it shall inform the other Contracting Party.
3. Without prejudice to paragraph 7 of this Article, a Contracting Party, which considers
resorting to safeguard measures, shall promptly notify the other Contracting Party thereof and supplyall relevant information. Consultations between the Contracting Parties shall take place without delay
in the Joint Committee with a view to finding a mutually acceptable solution.
4. (a) With regard to Articles 24, 25 and 27, the Joint Committee shall examine the case or
the situation and may take any decision needed to put an end to the difficulties
notified by the Contracting Party concerned. In the case of absence of such decisionwithin thirty days of the matter being refe rred to the Joint Committee, the Contracting
Party concerned may adopt the measures necessary in order to remedy the situation.
(b) With regard to Article 28, the Contracting Party concerned may take appropriate
measures after the consultations have been concluded or a period of three months has
elapsed from the date of the first notification to the other Contracting Party.
(c) With regard to Articles 20 and 21, the Contracting Party concerned shall give the
Joint Committee all the assistance required in order to examine the case and, where
appropriate, eliminate the practice objected to. If the Contracting Party in question
fails to put an end to the practice objected to within the period fixed by the Joint
Committee or if the Joint Committee fails to reach an agreement within sixty days ofthe matter being referred to it, the Contracting Party concerned may adopt the
appropriate measures to deal with the difficulties resulting from the practice in
question.
5. The safeguard measures taken shall be immediately notified to the Joint Committee. They
shall be limited with regard to their extent and duration to what is strictly necessary in order to rectify
the situation giving rise to their application and shall not be in excess of the injury caused by the
practice or the difficulty in question. Priority shall be given to such measures that will least disturb thefunctioning of this Agreement.
6. The safeguard measures taken shall be the subject of periodic consultations within the Joint
Committee with a view to their relaxation as soon as  possible or abolition when conditions no longer
justify their maintenance.
7. Where exceptional circumstances requiring immediate action make prior examination
impossible, the Contracting Party concerned may, in the cases provided for in Articles 24, 25 and 27
apply forthwith the provisional measures strictly necessary to remedy the situation. The measures
shall be notified without delay and consultations between the Contracting Parties shall take place as
soon as possible within the Joint Committee.WT/REG149/1
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Article 30
Balance Of Payments Difficulties
1. The Parties shall endeavour to avoid the imposition of restrictive measures including
measures relating to imports for balance of payments purposes.
2. Where a Contracting Party is in serious balance of payments difficulties or under imminent
threat thereof, it may, in accordance with the releva nt provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade 1994 and the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization adopt restrictive
measures, including measures related to imports, which shall be of limited duration and may not go
beyond what is necessary to remedy the balance of payments situation. The measures shall be
progressively relaxed as balance of payments conditions improve and they shall be eliminated whenconditions no longer justify their maintenance. The Contracting Party concerned shall inform the
other Contracting Party forthwith of their introduction and, whenever practicable, of a schedule for
their removal.
Article 31
Evolutionary Clause
1. Where a Contracting Party considers that it would be useful in the interests of the economies
of the Contracting Parties to develop and deepen the relations established by this Agreement by
extending them to fields not covered thereby, it shall submit a reasonable request to the otherContracting Party. The Contracting Parties may instruct the Joint Committee to examine such a
request and, where appropriate, to make recommendations, particularly with a view to opening
negotiations.
2. Agreements resulting from the procedure referred to in paragraph 1 shall be subject to
ratification or the approval by the Contracting Parties in accordance with their internal legislation.
Article 32
Customs Unions, Free Trade Areas And Frontier Trade
1. This Agreement shall not prevent the maintenance or establishment of customs unions, free
trade areas or arrangements for frontier trade to the extent that these do not negatively affect trade
between the Contracting Parties and in particular th e provisions concerning rules of origin provided
for by this Agreement.
2. Upon request, consultations between the Contract ing Parties shall take place within the Joint
Committee, in order to inform each other about any agreement establishing such customs union or
free trade area.
Article 33
Services And Investments
1. The Contracting Parties recognise the growing importance of certain areas, such as services
and investments. In their efforts to gradually develop and broaden their co-operation, in particular inthe context of the European integration, they will co-operate with the aim of achieving a progressive
liberalisation and mutual opening of markets for investments and trade in services, taking into account
relevant provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.WT/REG149/1
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2. The Contracting Parties shall discuss in the Joint Committee the possibilities to extend their
trade relations to the fields of foreign direct investment and trade in services.
CHAPTER IV: INSTITUTIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 34
The Joint Committee
1. Hereby the Contracting Parties agree that a Joint Committee is established in which each
Contracting Party shall be represented.
2. The Joint Committee shall supervise and administer the implementation of this Agreement.
3. For the purpose of the proper implementation of the Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall
exchange information and, upon request of any Contr acting Party, shall hold consultations within the
Joint Committee. The Joint Committee shall keep under review the possibility of further removal of
obstacles to trade between the Contracting Parties.
4. The Joint Committee may take decisions in the cases provided for in this Agreement. On
other matters the Joint Committee may make recommendations.
Article 35
Procedures Of The Joint Committee
1. For the proper implementation of this Agreement the Joint Committee shall meet whenever
necessary but at least once a year. Each Contracting Party may request that a meeting be held.
2. The Joint Committee shall act by common agreement.
3. If a decision of the Joint Committee is subject to  the fulfilment of internal legal requirements
of either Contracting Party, the decision shall enter into force, if no later date is foreseen therein, onthe day of the receipt of the latter diplomatic note confirming that their internal legal requirements
necessary for the entry into force of that decision have been fulfilled.
4. For the purpose of this Agreement the Joint Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure,
which shall, inter alia , contain provisions for convening meetings and for the designation of the
Chairman and his/her term of office.
5. The Joint Committee may decide to set up subcommittees and working groups, as it considers
necessary to assist it in accomplishing its tasks.
Article 36
Annexes And Protocols
Annexes and Protocols to this Agreement are an integral part of it.WT/REG149/1
Page 15
Article 37
Amendments
1. Amendments to this Agreement shall be made by the consent of the Contracting Parties and
shall enter into force on the date of the receipt of th e latter diplomatic note confirming that the internal
legal requirements of the Contracting Parties for the entry into force of the amendments have been
fulfilled.
2. Amendments to the Annexes and Protocols as well as technical amendments to the text of this
Agreement may be made by the decision of the Joint Committee.
Article 38
Entry Into Force
1. This Agreement is subject to ratification.
2. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date of
receipt of the latter diplomatic note confirming that the respective internal legal requirements of theContracting Parties for the entry into for ce of this Agreement have been fulfilled.
3. Pending the entry into force of this Agreement in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article,
the Contracting Parties agree to apply the Agreement provisionally from 1 January 2002.
Article 39
Validity And Denunciation
1. This Agreement is concluded for an unlimited period of time.
2. Either Contracting Party may denounce this Agreement by a written notification to the other
Contracting Party. The denunciation shall take effect  on the first day of the sixth month following the
date on which the other Contracting Party received the notification.
3. Both Contracting Parties agree that in the ev ent of a Contracting Party to this Agreement
becoming a member of the European Union, th at Contracting Party will withdraw from this
Agreement at the latest the day before membership takes effect, and without any compensation to the
other Party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorised thereto,
have signed this Agreement.
DONE  at Sofia this 11th day of December two thousand and one in two originals in English
language.
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