Memo: A New Regional Agreement to Develop Trade in South Eastern Europe

On 19 December 2006, Prime Ministers of South Eastern European countries and territories will sign a new Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). This event will mark the conclusion of ambitious negotiations launched in April. The new CEFTA will consolidate 32 bilateral free trade agreements in the Southern European Region into a single Regional Trade Agreement. The European Union strongly supports these negotiations. Although the EU will not be a party to this new Agreement, the European Commission has provided continuous political, technical and financial support, at every stage of the trade liberalisation process in South Eastern Europe.