WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG11/12 
3 March 2004 
 
 (04-0945) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:   English 
  
 
CENTRAL EUROPEAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT - 
ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA 
 
 The following communication, dated 23 February 2004, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Slovenia, on behalf of the Parties to the Central European Free Trade Agreement  
(Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Repub lic, Hungary, Poland, Romania,  Slovak Republic and Slovenia).
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AGREEMENT ON ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA 
TO THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT 
 
Preamble  
 
 The Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic , the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of 
Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Slovenia , on the one side, and the Republic 
of Croatia , on the other side, (hereinafter called “the Parties”), 
  Reaffirming  their commitment to the principles of a market economy, which constitutes the 
basis for their relations;  
 Considering  the positive development of the mutual economic co-operation between the 
Parties;   Wishing  to contribute to the process of integration in Europe through the extension of the 
Central European Free Trade Agreement;  
 Having in mind  the Declarations of Prime Ministers, done on 16 November 2001 in 
Bucharest;   Recalling  the official request of the Republic of Croatia on 20 July 2001 to accede to the 
Central European Free Trade Agreement; 
 
 Taking into account  the Agreement Amending the Central European Free  Trade Agreement, 
signed in Brno on 11 September 1995;   In accordance  with the provisions of Article 39a of the Central European Free Trade 
Agreement; 
  Have agreed  as follows: 
                                                     
 
1 The full text of the Agreement together with its Annexes  and Protocols is available at: 
http://www.vlada.hr/zakoni/me i/Chp26/CEFTA_Agreement.pdf  
It is also available at the Secretariat for c onsultation by interested Members (Office 1174). WT/REG11/12 
Page 2  
 
 Article 1 
 
 The Republic of Croatia shall accede to th e Central European Free Trade Agreement. 
 
Article 2 
 
 The Republic of Croatia shall accept the Centra l European Free Trade Agreement with all its 
amendments and modifications signed before the si gnature of this Agreement and shall apply it in 
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  
Article 3 
 
 References in the Central European Free Trade Agreement to its Parties and where all states 
are explicitly mentioned shall be underst ood to include the Republic of Croatia. 
 
Article 4 
 
1. In order to implement the provisions of paragraph 2 of  Article 3 of the Central European Free 
Trade Agreement Protocols 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 to the Central European Free Trade Agreement 
are hereby established and attached to this Agreement. 
2. Provisions for the abolition of customs duties on imports between: 
- the Republic of Bulgaria on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 32, 
 - the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on the one side and the Republic of 
Croatia on the other side are laid down in Protocol 33, 
 
- the Republic of Hungary on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 34, 
 - the Republic of Poland on the one side and the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 35, 
 
- Romania on the one side and the Republic of  Croatia on the other side are laid down 
in Protocol 36, 
 - the Republic of Slovenia on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 37. 
 
Article 5 
 
1. In order to implement the provisions of paragr aph 1 of Article 12 of the Central European 
Free Trade Agreement Protocols 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 to the Central European Free Trade 
Agreement are hereby established a nd attached to this Agreement. 
2. Provisions for granting mutual agricultural concessions between: 
- the Republic of Bulgaria on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 38, 
  WT/REG11/12 
 Page 3 
 
 
 - the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on the one side and the Republic of 
Croatia on the other side are laid down in Protocol 39, 
 - the Republic of Hungary on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 40, 
 
- the Republic of Poland on the one side and the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 41, 
 - Romania on the one side and the Republic of  Croatia on the other side are laid down 
in Protocol 42, 
 - the Republic of Slovenia on the one side a nd the Republic of Croatia on the other side 
are laid down in Protocol 43. 
 
Article 6 
 
 With reference to Article 16 of the Central European Free Trade Agreement Protocol 7a 
concerning the definition of the concept of “origi nating products” and methods of administrative co-
operation is hereby established and attached to this Agreement. Protocol 7a shall apply instead of 
Protocol 7 in respect of trade between the Parties if the product contains materials originating in 
Croatia as well as in respect of trade between th e Republic of Croatia and any other Party.  
 
Article 7 
 
1. References to co-operation in customs administ ration mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 16 
of the Central European Free Trade Agreement shall be understood that the mutual assistance between 
administrative authorities in customs matters of th e Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia 
shall take place in accordance with the provisions of Annex I to Article 7 of this Agreement. 
2. References to co-operation in customs administ ration mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 16 
of the Central European Free Trade Agreement shall be understood that the mutual assistance between 
administrative authorities in customs matters of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Croatia 
shall take place in accordance with the provisions of Annex II to Article 7 of this Agreement. 
Article 8 
 
 This Agreement shall constitute an integral  part of the Central European Free Trade 
Agreement. 
 
Article 9 
 
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the sixtieth day after receiving by the Depositary of 
the last notification of the Parties to the Centra l European Free Trade Agreement and of the Republic 
of Croatia on the completion of pr ocedures necessary for that purpose. 
2. The Depositary shall, without any delay, notify all Parties of the completion of procedures 
necessary for entry into fo rce of this Agreement. 
3. Pending the entry into force of this Agreement according to paragraph 1 of this Article this 
Agreement shall be applied from 1 March 2003, provid ed that Romania shall notify the other Parties, 
prior to 1 February 2003, that its internal legal re quirements for entry into force of this Agreement are 
fulfilled and that Romania shall appl y this Agreement from 1 March 2003. WT/REG11/12 
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 4. As from the date of entry into force of this  Agreement the free trade agreements concluded 
between: 
- the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic  of Croatia signed at Sofia on                       
4 December 2001; 
 
- the Czech Republic and the Republic of Cr oatia signed at Prague on                          
12 November 2001; 
 - the Republic of Hungary and the Republic of Croatia si gned at Zagreb on                  
22 February 2001; 
 
- the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Croatia signe d at Warsaw on                    
7 November 2001; 
 - the  Slovak   Republic   and   the  Republic  of Croatia signed at Bratislava  on            
6 November 2001; 
 - the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia signed at Zagreb on                 
12 December 1997, 
 
shall cease to be in force or shall not enter into force by mutual consent of the Parties 
concerned expressed in this Agreement. 
 5. As from the date of the application of this Ag reement the free trade agreements mentioned in 
paragraph 4 of this Article shall not be applied between their Contracting Parties. 
 
 IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned plenipot entiaries, being duly authorized thereto, 
have signed this Agreement.   DONE at Zagreb this 5 day of December 2002 in a single authentic copy in the English 
language which shall be deposited with the Government of the Republic of Poland. The Depositary 
shall transmit certified copies to all Parties. 
 
   For the Republic of Bulgaria  For the Republic of Croatia 
 
 For the Czech Republic 
  For the Republic of Hungary   For the Republic of Poland  
 For Romania 
  For the Slovak Republic   For the Republic of Slovenia 
 
 
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