RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG36/1
17 January 2000
(00-0169)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AND SLOVENIA
The following text reproduces the Agreement between the Republic of Slovenia and the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.1
_______________
PREAMBLE
The Republic of Slovenia  and the Republic of Macedonia  (hereinafter called the Parties),
Committed  to strengthening their economic cooperation, as well as promoting the
development of trade cooperation in order to increase the volume of mutual trade and achieve better
harmonization and structure of trade;
Confirming  the objectives specified in the Agreement on Economic Cooperation signed on
25 February 1992 on mutually beneficial economic and trade relations between the two countries;
Reaffirming  their commitment to pluralistic democracy based on the rule of law, human rights
and fundamental freedoms;
Recalling  their intention to participate actively in the process of economic integration in
Europe, and expressing their preparedness to co-operate in seeking ways and means to strengthen this
process,
Reaffirming  their firm commitment to the principles of a market economy, which constitutes
the basis for their relations,
Resolved  to this end to eliminate progressively th e obstacles to substantially all the mutual
trade in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade,
Firmly  convinced that this Agreement will foster the intensification of mutually beneficial
trade relations among them and contribute to the process of integration in Europe;
Considering  than no provision of this Agreement may be interpreted as exempting the Parties
from their obligations under other international agreements, especially the General Agreement onTariffs and Trade,
Have decided as follows:
                                                     
1The Annexes and Protocols thereto have been submitted to the Secretariat for consultation by
interested Members (Office 3006).WT/REG36/1
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Article 1
Objectives
1. The Parties shall gradually establish a free-trade area in a transitional period ending on
1 January 2000 at the latest in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and in conformity
with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
2. The objectives of this Agreement are:
(a) to promote through the expansion of trade the harmonious development of the
economic relations between the Parties and thus to foster the advance of theireconomic activity, the improvement of living and employment conditions, and
increased productivity and financial stability,
(b) to provide fair conditions of competition in trade between the Parties,
(c) to contribute by removing barriers to trade, to the harmonious development and
expansion of world trade.
CHAPTER I
Industrial Products
Article 2
Scope
The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to industrial products originating in the Parties.
The term "industrial products" means for the purpose of this Agreement the products listed in
Chapters 25 to 97 of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System.
Article 3
Customs duties on imports
1. No new customs duty on imports shall be introduced in trade between the Parties.
2. Customs duties on imports applicable in the Republic of Slovenia to products originating in
the Republic of Macedonia shall be abolished on the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
3. Customs duties on imports applicable in the Republic of Macedonia to products originating in
the Republic of Slovenia shall be abolished in accordance with the provisions in Protocol 1.
Article 4
Basic duties
1. For each product the basic duty to which the successive reductions set out in this Agreement
are to be applied shall be the Most Favoured Nation rate of duty applicable one day prior to the
signing of this Agreement.WT/REG36/1
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2. If, after entry into force of this Agreement, any tariff reduction is applied to an erga omnes
basis, in particular reductions resulting from the tariff agreement concluded within the
World Trade Organization, such reduced duties shall replace the basic duties referred to in
paragraph 1 as from that date when such reductions are applied.
3. The reduced duties calculated in accordance with paragraph 2 shall be rounded to a whole
number.
4. The Parties shall communicate to each other their respective customs duties.
Article 5
Special customs duties
1. No new special customs duties on imports shall be introduced in trade between the Parties.
2. The Republic of Macedonia shall abolish all special customs duties, except 1 per cent rate of
fee registration as provided for in Protocol 1.
3. The Republic of Slovenia shall abolish all special customs duties on imports of products
originating in the Republic of Macedonia on the day of entry into force of this Agreement
Article 6
Fiscal duties
The Parties shall neither apply nor introduce any customs duties of a fiscal nature.
Article 7
Customs duties and special customs duties on exports
1. No new customs duties or special customs duties on exports shall be introduced in trade
between the Parties.
2. The Parties shall abolish between them all customs duties and special customs duties on
exports on the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
Article 8
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 Parties.
2. All quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect on imports of products
originating in the Parties shall be abolished on the date of entry into force of this Agreement.WT/REG36/1
Page 4
Article 9
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 Parties.
2. All quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect on exports of products
originating in the Parties shall be abolished on the date of the entry into force of this Agreement.
Article 10
Elimination of technical barriers to trade
1. The Parties shall co-operate and exchange information in the field of standardization
metrology, assessment of conformity and accreditation with the aim of reducing technical barriers totrade.
2. For the purpose of eliminating and achieving effective implementation of this Agreement, the
Parties may on the basis of this Agreement conclude an agreement on mutual recognition of test
reports, certificates of conformity and other documents directly or indirectly related to conformityassessment of products which are the subject of trade between the Parties on the basis of regulation in
force in the importing country.
3. A specification of conditions and methods for conformity assessment shall be prepared in
mutual agreement by the competent national authorities for the carrying out of procedures ofconformity assessment on the basis of the regulations in force in the exporting state.
CHAPER II
Agricultural and Food Products
Article 11
Scope
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to agriculture and food products originating in the
Parties.
2. The term "agricultural and food products" means for the purpose of this Agreement the
products listed in Chapters 1 to 24 of the Harm onized Commodity Description and Coding System.
Article 12
Exchange of concessions
1. The Parties grant each other the concessions specified in Protocol 2 in accordance with
provisions of this Chapter and provisions of this Protocol.WT/REG36/1
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2. The Parties shall, taking into account the role of agriculture in their economies, the
development of trade in agricultural and food produ cts between the Parties, the particular sensitivity
of the agricultural and food products, the rules of their agricultural policy, the consequences of the
multilateral trade negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, examine the
possibilities for further mutual granting of concessions.
Article 13
Concessions and agricultural policy
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall not rest rict in any way the pursuance of the respective
agricultural polices of the Parties or the adoption of any measures under such policies including theimplementation of the respective provisions of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization, on condition that the concessions granted on the basis of Article 12 and their value are
maintained.
2. The Parties shall notify the Joint Committee of changes in their agricultural policy or of
measures which may affect the conditions of agricultural and food trade between them as provided for
in this Agreement.  Prompt consultations shall be held, upon the request of any Party, to examine the
newly-arisen situation.
Article 14
Specific safeguard measures
Notwithstanding other provisions of this Agreement and in particular Article 27, if, because
of the particular sensitivity of agricultural and food products, imports of products originating in a
Party, which are the subject to concessions granted under this Agreement, cause serious disturbance to
the markets of the other Party, the Parties shall enter into consultations immediately to find an
appropriate solution.  The Party concerned may, if so required by circumstances, take measures it
deems necessary for a specified period of time, or until the market disturbances disappear, or until the
Parties find a joint solution.
These measures may not, however, bring about market access conditions applying to goods
originating in Parties that would be worse than the conditions applying to goods originating in third
countries, in accordance with the Most Favoured Nation principle.
Article 15
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures
1. The Parties shall apply their regulations in veterinary, the health of plants and people, in
particular to the information system that deals with the development of infectious diseases ofdomestic animals, quarantine diseases, plant pests and weeds, as well as in the adjustments of similar
documents in trade and transportation of goods.
2. The Parties shall apply their regulations in veterinary, the health of plants and people in a
non-discriminatory way and shall not introduce any new measures that would needlessly obstructtrade.WT/REG36/1
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CHAPTER III
General Provisions
Article 16
Rules of origin of goods and co-operation in customs administration
1. Protocol 3 lays down the rules of origin of goods and related methods of administrative
co-operation.
2. The Parties shall take appropriate measures, including regular meetings by the Joint
Commission specified in Article 34 of this Agreement and arrangements for administrative
co-operation, to ensure that the provisions of Protocol 3 and Articles 3 to 10, 12, 17 and 28 of the
Agreement are effectively and harmoniously implemented, and to reduce, as far as possible, the
formalities imposed on trade, and to find mutually satisfactory solutions to any difficulties resulting
from the implementation of these provisions.
Article 17
Internal taxation
1. The Parties shall refrain from any measure or practice of an internal fiscal nature establishing,
whether directly or indirectly, an unequal distinction between the products origination in the Parties.
2. For products exported into either Party, the reimbursement of internal taxation whose amount
is higher that their prescribed indirect or direct taxation shall not be permitted to be claimed.
Article 18
General exceptions
This Agreement shall not preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in
transit justified on the grounds of:
- public morality, public policy or public security;
- the protection of human, animal or plant life or health;
- the protection of national treasures processing artistic, historic or archaeological
value;
- protection of intellectual property;
- rules relating to gold or silver;
- environmental protection, including of conservation of non-renewable resources if
such measures are in relation to restrictions in domestic production or consumption,
and if they are in accordance with international agreements.
Such prohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, constitute means of arbitrary
discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between the Parties.WT/REG36/1
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Article 19
Security and protection exceptions
1. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Party from introducing any measure which it
considers necessary;
(a) to prevent the disclosure of data contrary to its essential security interests;(b) for the protection of its essential security interests or for the implementation of
international obligations or national policy;
(i) relating to trade in arms, ammunition and military equipment, provided that
such measures do not impair the conditions of competition in respect of
products not intended for specifically military purposes, and to trade in other
goods, materials and services the purposes of which is direct or indirectsupply of the military; or
(ii) relating to the non-proliferation or control over trade in nuclear substances; or(iii) in war time or other serious international tension.
2. In accordance with legislation valid in both countries on the types of goods to which a licence
system applies for import or export in accordance with international agreements and conventions, the
responsible bodies in both countries shall issue licences for import or export.
3. In the event of international trade in goods which pollute the environment of people and
which originate in the Parties, the Parties shall apply the provisions and regulations prescribed by
international agreements and conventions.
Article 20
State monopolies
1. The Parties shall adjust progressively any St ate monopoly of a commercial character so as to
ensure that by the end of the fifth year after the entry into force of this Agreement, no discrimination
regarding the conditions under which goods are procured and marketed exists between nationals of
the Parties.  The Joint Committee shall be informed of the measures adopted to achieve this objective.
2, The provisions of this Article shall apply to any body through which the competent
authorities of the Parties, in law or in fact, either directly or indirectly supervise, determine or
appreciably influence imports or exports between the Parties.  These provisions shall also apply to the
monopolies that have been transferred by the State to others.
Article 21
Payments
1. Payments in freely convertible currencies relating to trade in goods between the Parties and
the transfer of such payments to the territory of th e Party to this Agreement where the creditor resides
shall be free from any restrictions.WT/REG36/1
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2. The Parties shall refrain from any exchange or administrative restrictions on the grant
repayment or acceptance of short and medium term credits to trade in goods in which a resident
participates.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, until Article VIII of the Articles of Agreement
of the International Monetary Fund becomes applicable  for the Parties, the Parties reserve the right to
apply exchange restrictions on the grant or acceptance of short and medium term credits related to
trade in goods to the extent permitted according to their status in the International Monetary Fund,
provided that these restrictions are applied in a non-discriminatory manner as regards the origin of the
products and that they are not applied only to specific products or kind of products.  The restrictions
shall be of limited duration and shall be eliminated when conditions no longer justify their
maintenance.  The Parties shall immediately inform the Joint Commission of the introduction of suchmeasures and of any changes therein.
Article 22
Rules of competition concerning undertakings
1. The following items are incompatible with the proper functioning of this Agreement if they
affect trade between the 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
Parties as a whole or in a substantial part thereof.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to the activities of all undertakings including public
undertakings to which the Parties grant special or exclusive rights.  Undertakings entrusted with the
operation of services of general economic interest or having the character of a revenue-producing
monopoly shall be subject to provisions of paragraph 1 insofar as the application of these provisions
does not obstruct the performance, in law or 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)
shall not apply to such agreements, decisions and practices which form an integral part of a national
market organization.
4. If a 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 damage to the interest of that 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 31.
Article 23
State aid
1. Any aid granted by a State being a Party to th is Agreement or through State resources in any
form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakingsor the production of certain goods shall, if it affects trade between the Parties, be incompatible with
the proper functioning of this Agreement.WT/REG36/1
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2. The Joint Commission shall, within three years from the entry into force of this Agreement,
adopt the criteria on the basis of which the practices contrary to paragraph 1 shall be assessed, as well
as the rules for their implementation.
3. The Parties shall ensure transparency in the area of State aid, inter alia  by reporting annually
to the Joint Commission on the total amount and distribution of the aid given and by providing to the
other Party, upon request, information on aid programmes and on individual cases of State aid.
4. If a Party considers that a particular practice:
- is incompatible with the provisions of paragraph 1, and is in appropriately dealt with
under the implementing rules referred to in paragraph 3, or
- in the absence of such rules and if such practice causes or threatens to cause serious
damage to the interest of that Party or material injury to its domestic industry,
it may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the provisions laid
down in Article 31.
5. 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, and any other relevant
document negotiated under  its auspices which are applicable between the Parties
Article 24
Government procurement
1. The Parties consider the liberalization of their respective government procurement markets as
an objective of this Agreement.
2. The Parties shall develop their respective regulations for government procurement with a
view to grant suppliers of the other Party by the end of the transitional period referred to in Article 1
of this Agreement, at the latest, access to contract award procedures on their respective government
procurement markets according to the provisions of the Agreement on Government Procurementconcluded within the World Trade Organization.
3. The Joint Commission shall examine developments related to the achievement of the
objectives of this Article and may recommend practical modalities of implementing the provisions of
paragraph 2 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 Commission may consider,
especially in the light of developments in this  area in international relations, the possibility of
extending the coverage and/or the degree of the market opening provided for in paragraph 2.
5. The Parties shall endeavour to accede to the agreements on government procurement
concluded under the auspices of the World Trade Organization.
Article 25
Protection of intellectual property
1. The Parties shall grant and ensure the protection of intellectual property rights on a
non-discriminatory basis, including measures for granting and enforcing these rights.  The protectionWT/REG36/1
Page 10
shall be gradually improved and, before the end of the fifth year after entry into force of this
Agreement, it shall reach the level that meets the basic standards set out in multilateral agreements
listed in Annex I.
2. For the purpose of this Agreement "intellectual property protection" includes in particular
protection of copyright, comprising  computer programs and databases, and related rights, trade marks,
geographical indications, industrial samples and models, patents, technical and design improvements,
topographies of integrated circuits, as well as undisclosed information on know-how and
improvements.
3. Protection of topographies of integrated circuits ensured by any Party shall be granted on
reciprocal basis.
4. The Parties shall co-operate in issues relating to intellectual property.  They shall hold, upon
request of any Party, expert consultations on these issues, in particular on activities relating to the
existing of future international conventions on harmonization, administration and enforcement of
intellectual property and on activities in international organizations, such as the World IntellectualProperty Organization, as well as issues govern ed by the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights.
Article 26
Dumping
If a Party finds that dumping within the meaning of Article VI of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1994) is taking place in trade relations governed by this Agreement, it may
take appropriate measures against the practice in accordance with Article VI of the GeneralAgreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and other agreements related to that Article, under the
conditions and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 31.
Article 27
General safeguard measures
1. Where any product is being imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions
that it causes or may to cause:
(a) serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive products in the
territory of the importing 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 Party concerned may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 31.
Article 28
Structural adjustment
1. Exceptional measures of limited duration which derogate from the provisions of Article 3
may be taken by any Party in the form of increased customs duties.WT/REG36/1
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2. These measures may only concern infant industries, or certain sectors undergoing
restructuring or facing serious difficulties, particularly where these difficulties produces important
social problems.
3. Customs duties on imports applicable in the Party concerned to products originating in the
other 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 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 Party as defined in Chapter I during the last year for which statistics are
available.
4. These measures shall be applied for a period not exceeding five years unless a longer duration
is authorized by the Joint Commission.  They shall cease to apply at the latest at the expiration of the
transitional period.
5. No such measures can be introduced in respect of a product if more than three years elapsed
since the elimination of all duties and quantitative restrictions or charges or measures having an
equivalent effect concerning that product.
6. The Party concerned shall inform the Joint Commission of any exceptional measures it
intends to take and, at the request of the other Party, consultations shall be held within the JointCommission on such measures and the sectors to which they apply prior to their introduction.  When
taking such measures the Party concerned shall provide the Joint Commission with a timetable for the
elimination of the customs duties introduced under th is Article.  The timetable shall provide for the
gradual removal of these duties in equal annual rates starting at the latest two years after their
introduction.  The Joint Commission may decide on a different timetable.
Article 29
Re-export and serious shortage of goods
1. Where compliance with the provisions of Articles 7 and 9 leads to:
(a) re-export towards a third country against which the exporting 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 Party;
and where the situations referred to above give rise or are likely to give rise to major difficulties for
the exporting Party, that Party may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance
with the procedures laid down in Article 31.
Article 30
Fulfilment of obligations
1. The Parties shall take any general or specific measures necessary to fulfil their obligations
under this Agreement for the purpose of achieving the objectives of this Agreement.WT/REG36/1
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2. If a Party considers that the other Party has failed to fulfil an obligation under this Agreement,
the Party concerned may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 31.
Article 31
Procedure for the application of safeguard measures
1. Before initiating the procedure for the application of safeguard measures out in the following
paragraphs of this Article, the Parties shall endeavour to solve any disagreements between them
through direct consultations.
2. If, in the case of the import of products that my lead to situation referred to in Article 27, a
Party introduces an administrative procedure having as its purpose the rapid provision of information
on the trend of trade flows, it shall inform the other Party of this.
3. Without prejudice to paragraph 7 of this Article, a Party which intends to resort to safeguard
measures shall promptly notify the other Party thereof and supply all relevant information.
Consultations between the Parties shall take place without delay in the Joint Commission in order to
find a solution.
4. (a) If the Parties do not meet within thirty da ys or if they fail to find a common solution
with regard to Articles 26, 27 and 29, the Party concerned may adopt appropriate
measures in order to rectify the situation, and shall notify the other Party of this.
(b) With regard to Article 30, the Party concerned may take appropriate measures after
the consultations have been concluded or after a period of three months has elapsedfrom the date of the notification to the other Party.
(c) With regard to Article 22 and 23, the Party concerned may require from the other
Party to eliminate the practice objected to.  If the other Party fails to put an end to the
practice objected to or if the Parties fail to reach an agreement within sixty days, the
Party concerned may adopt the appropriate measures for the purpose of overcoming
the problems that have arisen due to such a practice.
5. The safeguard measures taken shall be notified immediately to the other Party.  They shall be
restricted with regard to their extent and to their duration to what is strictly necessary in order to
rectify the situation that led to their introduction 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 disturbthe functioning of this Agreement.  The measures introduced by a Party against acts or failures to act
by the other Party may affect trade with this Party exclusively.
6. The safeguard measures taken shall be the subject of periodic consultations within the Joint
Commission with a view to their relaxation as soon as possible, or abolition when conditions nolonger justify their application.
7. Where exceptional circumstances requiring immediate action make prior examination
impossible, the Party concerned may, in the cases of Articles 26, 27 and 29, apply forthwith the
provisional measures necessary to remedy the situation.  The measures shall be notified without delayand consultations between the Parties shall take place as soon as possible.WT/REG36/1
Page 13
Article 32
Balance-of-payments difficulties
1. The Parties shall endeavour to avoid the introduction of restrictive measures including
measures relating to restrictions on imports for balance-of-payments purposes.
2. Where a Party is in serious balance-of-payments difficulties, or under imminent threat
thereof, the Party may, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade, 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 improvesand they shall be eliminated immediately when conditions no longer justify their maintenance.  The
Party shall immediately inform the other Party of their introduction and of the time schedule for their
removal, as soon as it is possible.
Article 33
Evolutionary clause
1. Where a Party considers that it would be in the interests of the economies of both Parties to
develop and deepen the relations established by this Agreement by extending them to fields notcovered thereby, it shall submit a well-grounded proposal to the other Party.  The Parties may instruct
the Joint Commission to examine such a proposal and, where appropriate, to make recommendations,
particularly with a view to commencing negotiations.
2. Agreements resulting from the procedure referred to in paragraph 1 shall be ratified or
approved by the Parties in accordance with their internal legislation.
Article 34
The Joint Commission
1. The Joint Commission, established by Article 17 of the Agreement on Economic
Co-operation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia, signed on
25 February 1992 in Ljubljana, shall in addition to the tasks specified by the aforementioned Article,
administer and supervise the implementation of this Agreement.
2. For the purpose of the proper implementation of this Agreement, the Parties shall exchange
information and, upon request of any Party, consult each other within the Joint Commission.  The
Commission shall search and review the possibility of further removal of the obstacles to trade
between the Parties.
3. The Joint Commission may take decisions in the cases provided for in this Agreement.  On
other matters the Commission may give recommendations.
Article 35
Procedures of the Joint Commission
1. For the proper implementation of this Agreement the Joint Commission shall meet whenever
necessary but at least once a year.  Each Party may request a meeting.WT/REG36/1
Page 14
2. The Joint Commission shall adopt decisions and recommendations by common agreement.
3. If a representative in the Joint Commission of a Party to this Agreement has accepted a
decision subject to the fulfilment of internal lega l requirements, the decision shall enter into force, if
no other date is contained therein, on the day the lifting of the reservation is notified.
4. The Joint Commission shall adopt its rules of procedure which shall, inter alia , contain
provisions for convening meetings and for the designation of the Chairman and his term of office.
5. The Joint Commission may decide to set up subcommittees and working groups which
considers can assist it in accomplishing in tasks.
Article 36
Trade relations governed by this and other Agreements
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 no negatively affect the
trade regime and in particular the provisions concerning the rules of origin provided for in this
Agreement.
Article 37
Annexes, Protocols, Changes and Amendments
1. Annexes and Protocols to this Agreement are an integral part of it.  The Joint Commission
may decide to change or amend Annexes and Protocols in accordance with the provisions ofparagraph 3 of the Article 35.
2. Proposed changes and amendments to this Agreement other than those referred to in
paragraph 3 of Article 34 which are approved by the Joint Commission shall be submitted to the other
Party for adoption and shall enter into force when they are adopted by both Parties.
Article 38
Entry into force
This Agreement shall be approved by both Parties in accordance with their own procedures.
This Agreement shall enter into force on the fi rst day of the second month following the date
on which the Parties have notified each other in writing on the completion of the procedures, specified
in the first paragraph.
Article 39
Provisional application
The Parties agreed to provisionally apply this Agreement as from the first day of the second
month following the signing of this Agreement unti l this Agreement enters into force in accordance
with Article 38.WT/REG36/1
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Each Party may cease to apply this Agreement provisionally by submitting a written
notification to the other Party.  The provisional application of this Agreement shall cease to apply
six months after the date of this notification.
Article 40
Validity and withdrawal
This Agreement shall be signed for an unspecified period of time.Each Party may withdraw from this Agreement by submitting written notification to the other
Party.  The withdrawal shall take effect six months after the day of notification.
Article 41
As from the date of entry into force of this Ag reement the provisions of Articles 3, 4 and 5
and the second paragraph of Article 7 of the Agreement on Economic Co-operation between theRepublic of Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia signed on 25 February 1992 in Ljubljana, shall
cease to be in force.
DONE at Skopje, on 1 July 1996 in two copies in the Slovene and Macedonian languages,
where both texts have equal authenticity.
For For
The Republic of Slovenia The Republic of MacedoniaWT/REG36/1
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RECORD OF UNDERSTANDING
1. According to this Agreement the term "customs  duties" shall mean customs rates of duty on
imports of goods applicable in the Parties.
2. According to this Agreement the term "special customs duties" shall mean the special duty for
equalising tax burden of imported goods and the special duty on imported goods paid upon the
imports of goods into the Republic of Macedonia, and the special duty upon the imports of
agricultural and food products into the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia.WT/REG36/1
Page 17
ANNEX I
(referred to in Article 25)
Multilateral Agreements on Intellectual Property
The multilateral Agreements mentioned in Article 25 are the following:- Paris Convention of 20 March 1883 for the Protection of Industrial Property
(Stockholm Act, 1967);
- Bern Convention of 9 September 1886 for the Protection of Literary and Artistic
Works (Paris, Act, 1971);
- International Convention of 26 October 1961 for the Protection of Performers,
Producers of Phonogram and Broadcastin g Organizations (Rome Convention);
- European Patent Convention of 5 October 1973.
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