RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG18/8
7 August 1998
(98-3120)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
EXAMINATION OF THE INTERIM AGREEMENTS BETWEEN
THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY,
POLAND AND THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
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 the Czech Republic
Entry into force of Interim Agreement:  1 March 1992
Entry into force of Europe Agreement (EA):  1 February 19951
Additional Protocol:  Decisions 94/46/EC and 94/52/ECSC of 20 December 1993
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Czech Republic
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II:  2 years   (01/01/94)
Annex III:  3 years   (01/01/95)Annex IV:  at entry into force
Annex V:  5 years   (01/01/97)
Annex VI:  9 years   (01/01/2001)
Annex VII:  9 years   (different timetable)
Quantitative restrictions(QRs) on imports andmeasures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force QRs:  at entry into force (10 years for
Annex VIII – on 01/01/2002)Measures having equivalent effect:  atentry into force
Duties on exports 5 years (01/01/97) 5 years (01/01/97)
QRs on exports andmeasures having equivalent
effectAt entry into force At entry into force (5 years for
Annex IX)
Textiles Protocol
EC Czech Republic
Customs duties 5 years (01/01/97) Same regime as for industrial products
other than ECSC and textiles
QRs and measures havingequivalent effect On 01/01/98 See Article 3, Protocol 1
                                                     
1Text of the EA:  Official Journal of the European Communities (OJ) L 360 of 31 December 1994.WT/REG18/8
Page 2
ECSC Protocol
EC Czech Republic
Customs duties Steel:  4 years (01/01/96)
Coal:  1 year (4 years for
Annex IV)Steel:  Annex I - at entry into force
Annex II - 5 years
Annex III - 9 years
Coal:  at entry into force
QRs and measures havingequivalent effectSteel:  at entry into force
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex II)Steel:  at entry into force
Coal:  at entry into force (10 years forAnnex VIII)
Processed agricultural products :  See Protocol 3
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes  IX(a), XI(b), XII, XIII and XIV.
A2. Interim Agreement between the EC and Hungary
Entry into force of Interim Agreement:  1 March 1992
Entry into force of EA:  1 February 19942
Additional Protocol: Decisions 94/45/EC and 94/51/ECSC of 20 December 1993
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Hungary
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II(a): 1 year (01/01/93)
Annex II(b):  2 years (01/01/94)
Annex III:  3 years (01/01/95)On 01/01/97
Annex IV:  on 01/01/94
Annex V:  on 01/01/2001
QRs on imports and
measures having equivalenteffectAt entry into force At entry into force
Annex VI(a):  on 01/01/2001Annex VI(b):  import ceilings
Export duties, QRs onexports and measures havingequivalent effect5 years (except those justified by
international obligations)5 years (except those justified by
international obligations)
Textiles Protocol
EC Hungary
Customs duties 5 years (01/01/97) Same regime as for industrial products
other than ECSC and textiles
QRs and measures havingequivalent effectOn 01/01/98 See Article 3.2, Protocol 1
ECSC Protocol
EC Hungary
Customs duties Steel:  4 years (01/01/96)
Coal:  on 01/01/96Steel:  on 01/01/2001 ( on 01/01/94 for
Annex I)
Coal:  on 01/01/2001
QRs and measures having
equivalent effectSteel: at entry into force
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex II)Steel and coal:  at entry into force
Processed agricultural products :  See Protocol 3.
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes VIII(a), VIII(b), IX(a), X(a), X(b), X(c), XI(a),
XI(b) and XI(c).
                                                     
2Text of the EA: OJ L 347 of 31 December 1993.WT/REG18/8
Page 3
A3. Interim Agreement between the EC and Poland
Entry into force of Interim Agreement:  1 March 1992
Entry into force of EA:  1 February 19943
Additional Protocol: Decisions 94/44/EC and 94/50/ECSC of 20 December 1993
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Poland
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II(a):  1 year (01/01/93)Annex II(b):  2 years (01/01/94)Annex III:  on 01/01/957 years (01/01/99)
Annex IV(a):  at entry into forceAnnex IV(b):  on 01/01/2002
QRs on imports and
measures having equivalent
effectAt entry into force At entry into force
Annex V:  on 01/01/2002 (except para. 4:
01/01/97)
Duties and charges havingequivalent effect on exports5 years (01/01/97) 5 years a (01/01/97)
QRs on exports At entry into force (5 years for
Annex VI)At entry into force (5 years for Annex VI)
Textiles Protocol
EC Poland
Customs duties 5 years (01/01/97) Same regime as for industrial products
other than ECSC and textiles
QRs and measures having
equivalent effectOn 01/01/98 See Article 3.2, Protocol 1
ECSC Protocol
EC Poland
Customs duties Steel:  4 years (01/01/96)
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex 3)Steel:  7 years (at entry into force for
Annex II)Coal: same regime as for industrialproducts other than ECSC and textiles
QRs on imports and
measures having equivalent
effectSteel:  at entry into force
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex III)Steel and coal:  at entry into force
Processed agricultural products :  See Protocol 3.
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes VIII(a), VIII(b), IX, X(a), X(b), X(c) and XI.
                                                     
3Text of the EA: OJ L 348 of 31 December 1993.WT/REG18/8
Page 4
A4. Interim Agreement between the EC and the Slovak Republic
Entry into force of Interim Agreement:  1 March 1992
Entry into force of EA:  1 February 19954
Additional Protocol: Decisions 94/47/EC and 94/53/ECSC of 20 December 1993
Industrial products other than ECSC and textiles
EC Slovak Republic
Customs duties At entry into force
Annex II:  2 yearsAnnex III:  3 yearsAnnex IV:  at entry into force
Annex V:  5 yearsAnnex VI:  9 yearsAnnex VII:  9 years (different timetable)
QRs on imports and
measures having equivalent
effectAt entry into force At entry into force
Annex VIII:  10 years
Measures having equivalent effect:  at
entry into force
Duties on exports 5 years 5 years
QRs on exports At  entry into force At  entry into force (5 years for
Annex IX)
Textiles Protocol
EC Slovak Republic
Customs duties 5 years Same regime as for industrial products
other than ECSC and textiles
QRs and measures having
equivalent effectOn 01/01/98 See Article 3, Protocol 1
ECSC Protocol
EC Slovak Republic
Customs duties Steel:  4 years (01/01/96)
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex
IV)Steel: Annex I:  at entry into force
Annex II:  5 yearsAnnex III:  9 years
Coal:  at entry into force
QRs and measures having
equivalent effectSteel:  entry into force
Coal:  1 year (4 years for Annex II)Steel:  at entry into force
Coal:  at entry into force (10 years for
Annex VIII)
Processed agricultural products :  See Protocol 3.
Agricultural products :  Limited concessions listed in Annexes IX(a) , XI(b), XII, XIII and XIV.
                                                     
4Text of the EA: OJ L 359 of 31 December 1994.WT/REG18/8
Page 5
B. TRADE STATISTICS
B1. EU trade with the Czech Republic
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from the Czech Republic 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 %
1993 6.1 4.9 +1.2 124 … … 1.25 1.00
1994 7.9 6.4 +1.6 123 29.5 31 1.47 1.18
1995 (EU-12) 10.1 7.9 +2.2 128 28 23 1.72 1.37
1995 (EU-15) 11.6 9.0 +2.6 129 26* 22* 2.04 1.65
1996 13.9 9.6 +4.3 144 20 8 2.23 1.67
1997 15.8 11.7 +4.1 135 14 2 2.22 1.77
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with the Czech Republic.
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) 5,458 34 14
2.  Transport equipment (XVII) 1,733 11 10
3.  Base metals & articles (XV) 1,430 9 14
4.  Chemical products (VI) 1,419 8.8 18
5.  Plastic products (VII) 1,114 7 25
6.  Textiles (XI) 939 6 12
7.  Agriculture (I-IV) 883 5.5 0
Subtotal 12,976 82 13
ALL SECTORS 15,816 100 14
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) 2,729 23 25
2.  Base metals & articles (XV) 1,713 14.5 19
3.  Transport equipment (XVII) 1,628 14 56
4.  Textiles (XI) 961 8 12
5.  Misc. manufactures (XX) 711 6 12
6.  Plastic products (VII) 698 5.8 22
7.  Chemical products (VI) 516 4 6
Subtotal 8,956 76 24
ALL SECTORS 11,733 100 21
Source:  Eurostat.
B2. EU trade with Hungary
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from Hungary in 1989-1997
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
Billion ECU % Annual % change %
1989 3 2.6 +0.4 115 27 20 0.72 0.58
1990 2.9 2.9 -0.1 100 -3.3 12 0.69 0 .64
1991 3.5 3.6 -0.1 97 21 24 0.82 0.73
1992 4.1 4 +0.1 103 17 11 0.93 0.82
1993 4.9 3.9 +1.0 126 19.5 -2.5 1.01 0.81WT/REG18/8
Page 6
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
1994 6.2 5 +1.2 125 26 28 1.14 0.92
1995 (EU-12) 6.7 6.5 +0.2 104 9 30 1.14 1.13
1995 (EU-15) 8.7 7.6 +1.1 115 8* 25* 1.53 1.39
1996 9.9 8.7 +1.2 114 14 14 1.59 1.50
1997 13.5 11.5 +2.0 117 36 32 1.88 1.73
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with Hungary.
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) 5,339 39 45
2.  Transport equipment (XVII) 1,633 12 79
3.  Chemical products (VI) 1,103 8 22
4.  Textiles (XI) 1,042 7.5 12
5.  Base metals & articles (XV) 974 7 36
6.  Paper, pulp, etc. (X) 492 3.6 16
7.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 478 3.5 27
Subtotal 11,060 82 36
ALL SECTORS 13,539 100 37
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) 5,253 45 66
2.  Textiles (XI) 1,071 9 11
3.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 988 8.5 -1
4.  Base metals & articles (XV) 948 8 15
5.  Transport equipment (XVII) 703 6 32
6.  Plastic products (VII) 482 4 34
7.  Chemical products (VI) 392 3 14
Subtotal 9,837 85 37
ALL SECTORS 11,548 100 32
Source:  Eurostat.
B3. EU trade with Poland
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from Poland in 1989-1997
Exports Imports Balance Export/
import
ratioExport
growthImport
growthExport share
in extra-EU
tradeImport share
in extra-EU
trade
Billion ECU % Annual % change %
1989 3.9 3.9 +0.1 100 43 15 0.86 0.95
1990 4.4 5.2 -0.8 85 11 34 1.00 1.10
1991 7.9 6.2 +1.7 127 79 20 1.86 1.26
1992 8.1 7.1 +1.1 114 4 14 1.87 1.45
1993 9.9 7.6 +2.3 130 21 7 2.05 1.56
1994 10.8 9.1 +1.7 119 9 20 2.00 1.69
1995 (EU-15) 15.0 12.2 +2.8 123 24* 21* 2.65 2.25
1996 19.8 12.2 +7.6 162 32 0 3.18 2.11
1997 24.9 14.1 +10.8 176 26 15 3.48 2.12
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with Poland.WT/REG18/8
Page 7
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) 7,200 29 33
2.  Transport equipment (XVII)) 3,148 12.5 22
3.  Chemical products (VI) 2,476 10 28
4.  Textiles (XI) 2,157 8.5 12
5.  Base metals & articles (XV) 1,770 7 29
6.  Plastic products (VII) 1,748 7 32
7.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 1,556 6 4
Subtotal 20,055 80 25
ALL SECTORS 24,986 100 26
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) 2,088 15 33
2.  Base metals & articles (XV) 2,000 14 18
3.  Textiles (XI) 1,998 14 5
4.  Transport equipment (XVII) 1,393 10 14
5.  Misc. manufactures (XX) 1,305 9 17
6.  Mineral products (V) 1,129 8 4
7.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 1,075 7.5 10
Subtotal 10,988 77 15
ALL SECTORS 14,155 100 16
Source:  Eurostat.
B4. EU trade with the Slovak Republic
Table 1:  EU's exports to and imports from the Slovak Republic 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 %
1993 1.2 1.15 +0.05 105 … … 0.25 0.24
1994 1.79 1.87 -0.08 96 47 61 0.33 0.35
1995 (EU-12) 2.69 2.61 +0.08 103 50 40 0.46 0.45
1995 (EU-15) 3.19 3.09 +0.10 103 46* 38* 0.56 0.57
1996 3.96 3.38 +0.58 117 24 9 0.64 0.58
1997 4.78 3.98 +0.82 120 21 18 0.67 0.62
*Compared to 1994 EU-12 figure plus 3 new Member States' trade with the Slovak Republic.
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) 1,684 35 27
2.  Transport equipment (XVII) 681 14 19
3.  Chemical products (VI) 433 9 10
4.  Textiles (XI) 367 8 15
5.  Base metals & articles (XV) 324 7 24
6.  Agriculture, incl. processed (I-IV) 249 5 11
7.  Plastic products (VII) 248 5 18
Subtotal 3,986 83 21
ALL SECTORS 4,788 100 21WT/REG18/8
Page 8
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) 722 18 40
2.  Base metals & articles (XV) 700 17.6 7
3.  Transport equipment (XVII) 695 17.5 37
4.  Textiles (XI) 483 12 14
5.  Plastic products (VII) 212 5 13
6.  Chemical products (VI) 174 4 0
7.  Wood (IX) 145 3 29
Subtotal 3,131 79 20
ALL SECTORS 3,978 100 17
Source:  Eurostat.
B5. EU-15 trade with 10 Associated CEECs5
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.
__________
                                                     
5Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak
Republic and Slovenia.