WT/REG455/M/1  
 
10 July 2023 
(23-4665) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Hundred and S eventh  Session  Original: English  
 
 
PARTNERSHIP, TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED 
KINGDOM AND SERBIA  
(GOODS AND SERVICES)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 5 JULY  2023 
Chair: Ambassador H.E. Ms. Clare KELLY (New Zealand)  
1.1.  The 10 7th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA" or the 
"Committee") was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/3 2/Rev.1 dated 23 June 2023.  
1.2.  Under Agenda Item I.I, the CRTA considered the Agreement establishing a  Partnership, Trade 
and C ooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and Serbia , goods and services  
(hereinafter "the Agreement"). The Chair recalled that during the CRTA meeting of 4 March 2009, 
Members had agreed to consider RTAs involving non -Members under the Transparency Mechanism's 
procedures and that regional trade agreements (RTAs) notified since 14 December 2006, including 
future notifications, should be taken up before the others. Members had made it clear that the 
consideration of such agreements by the Committee had  no implications for the views or positions 
of any Member with respect to the consistency of that RTA with the WTO rules and would be without 
prejudice to the rights and obligations of Members under the WTO Agreements, as clearly stated in 
paragraphs 1 and  5 of the Transparency Mechanism Decision. Members had also agreed that the 
consideration of such agreements in the CRTA would be organized under a separate Agenda Item.  
1.3.  The Agreement had entered into force on 20 May 2021. It had been notified to the WTO by the 
Parties on 18 May 2021 under Articles  XXIV:7(a) of the GATT  1994 and Article  V:7(a) of the GATS, 
in documents WT/REG4 55/N/1 and S/C/N/10 56 respectively. The United Kingdom  had indicated the 
Agreement create d a free trade area in goods within the meaning of Article XXIV of the GATT 1994 
and for trade in services within the meaning of Article V of the GATS.  The text of the Agreement and 
its Annexes was available on the Parties' official websites and in the WTO RTA database. The Factual 
Presentation (document  WT/REG4 55/1) and the questions and replies on th e Agreement (document 
WT/REG4 55/2) had been distributed.  
1.4.  The representative of the United Kingdom  delivered a joint statement on behalf the United 
Kingdom and Ser bia on the Agreement which had been implemented since 15 July 2021.  
1.5.  The Agreement  replicate d the trade preferences of the EU -Serbia Stabilisation and Association 
Agreement. Therefore, since its provisional application on 20 May 2021, both Parties  had acces s to 
the wide range of trade preferences they benefited from under the EU -Serbia Agreement.  
1.6.  The Agreement  reaffirm ed the Parties ' bilateral relationship and provide d important continuity 
and predictability to individuals, businesses, and stakeholders in bo th countries. High liberalization 
in trade continue d to apply within the PTCA to prevent any disturbance to the Parties' companies, 
allowing the business sector to trade on preferential basis.  
1.7.  Total trade in goods and services between the Parties  had been GBP 867 million in the four 
quarters to the end of Q4 2022, accounting for 0.1% of  UK trade. Both imports and exports had 
bounced back strongly in 2022 following the Covid -19 pandemic, continuing a definite growth trend 
since 2013. In current prices, the v alue of total trade with Serbia ha d more than doubled since 2013. 
According to Serbian data, trade in goods between the two countries in 2022 had amounted to 
EUR 788.3 million and trade in services to EUR 883 million. The UK 's top exports include d power WT/REG455/M/1  
 
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  generators, specialised and industrial machinery, and Serbia 's main exports to the UK include d 
rubber manufactures, electrical goods, and fruit and vegetables.  
1.8.  The Agreement  was a short form agreement, an approach used in other UK continuity 
agreements that had entered into force on or after 1 January 2021. It broadly replicate d the effects 
of the EU -Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which had entered into force on 1  
September 2013. This include d the establishment of institutional arrangements between the Parties 
based broadly on existing structures, allowing for the ongoing management of the Agreement . Its 
provisions were applied mutatis mutandis , i.e. with only the technical changes necessary to apply 
the Agreement  as if it had been concluded between the UK and Serbia in the first instance.  Where 
more substantive amendments had been required to ensure operability in a bilateral context, or 
where the Parties had agree d that mutatis mutandis  would not deliver adequate certainty over rights 
and obligations, detailed amendments had been included in the Annexes to the  Agreement . 
1.9.  As was the case with most of the UK 's continuity agreements, tariff rate quotas had been 
resize d to 13.62% of the corresponding quota volume or quota increase referred to in the EU -Serbia 
Agreement when it had ceased to apply to the United Kingdom.  The Agreement roll ed over the tariff 
preferences on goods from the EU -Serbia Agreement, contain ed the full range of trade provisions 
common to most trade agreements, and provisions on services. It also roll ed over a wide range of 
cooperation provisions, which had been  designed to foster cooperation between the Parties across 
all sectors of their economies, as well as on justice, freedom, and security.  
1.10.  On rules of origin, it contain ed generous cumulation provisions. Materials could be considered 
as originating in the UK and Serbia if they had been  obtained there, incorporating materials 
originating  in the other Party, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, the European 
Union, or countries referred to in Annex A of the Protocol, provided that the working or processing 
carried out in the Party went beyond the operations referred to in  the meaning of Article 7.  
1.11.  Institutional arrangements include d a Parliamentary Trade and Cooperation Council, 
composed of Serbia n and UK representatives, which was responsible for the administration of all 
matters and fulfilment of all tasks under th e Agreement. Whereas the EU -Serbia Agreement also 
include d a committee tasked with overseeing the operation of the Agreement particularly in respect 
of trade, in the Agreement  the Committee had been  abolished, and its powers taken over by the 
Partnership, Trade and Cooperation  Council. The Council might also set up special committees to 
help it in its duties. The Parties might also set up a parliamentary committee.  
1.12.  In conclusion, he noted that t he Agreement  set the conditions for trade between the Parties  
to grow  into the future.  He stated that t here was clear potential for Serbia to continue to grow trade 
links with the UK as its accession pathway into the European Union continue d. Both Parties look ed 
forward to continuing to work closely with each other  and remained deeply committed to the 
continued strengthening of their trade relationships.  
1.13.  The representative of European Union  thanked the Parties for their presentations of the 
Agreement and for the transparency provided. She also wished them success in the imp lementation 
of the Agreement.  
1.14.  The Chair noted the consideration of the Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement 
between the United Kingdom and Serbia, goods and services  had allowed the Committee to clarify 
a number of questions and conclude oral discussion of the RTA in accordance with paragraph 11 of 
the Transparency Mechanism. Any delegations wishing to ask follow -up questions were invited to 
forward submissions in writ ing to the Secretariat by 12 July 2023 and the Parties were asked to 
submit replies in writing by no later than 26 July 2023. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the 
Transparency Mechanism all written submissions, as well as the minutes of the meeting would  be 
circulated promptly, in all WTO official languages, and made available on the WTO website.  
1.15.  The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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