1. Update Implementation of CEFTA Renata Vitez Director
Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)
Regional Coordination Meeting
Brussels, 31 March 2011

2. Existing CEFTA Structures
Joint Committee
Secretariat
Subcommittee on Agriculture and SPS
Subcommittee on NTBs and TBT
Subcommittee on Customs and RO
Working Group on Trade in Services
Working Group on TBT
CEFTA Secretariat

3. Implementation of CEFTA - Summary
Actions
CEFTA Chapter
Result
Timeframe
Diagonal Cumulation
Customs and rules of origin
Smooth implementation
2009 and ongoing
Improvement of investment conditions
Investment
Non-discrimination
IPR review
2009
Statistical data of CEFTA Parties
Transparency
Publicly available at EUROSTAT website
2009and ongoing
Further liberalisation of agricultural trade
Agriculture
Negotiated
The Additional Protocol and Annex 10 initialed and signed
2010
CEFTA Trade Portal
Launched and operational
2010 and ongoing
Liberalisation of trade in services
Services
The possibilities and options for negotiations explored; Working Group established
Reduction and elimination of NTBs
NTBs
Multilateral Monitoring Framework developed
Opening of Government Procurement Markets
Government Procurement
First review done,
Commitments fulfilled
Competition and State Aid
Competition rules
First review done
Notification system in place

4. Priorities in 2011 (1)
Liberalisation of Trade in Agricultural Products
CiO is committed to follow up on the effects of such liberalisation on the CEFTA economies once it enters into force.
Liberalisation of Trade in Services
During its Chairmanship UNMIK/Kosovo will focus on further exploring the possibilities for gradual liberalisation of trade in services among the CEFTA Parties.
Investment
CiO will work closely with the OECD team on mapping FDIs and investment location within the CEFTA Parties while identifying the patterns of regional distribution and key factors leading to the geographical concentration of sectors and clusters.
Public Procurement and Competition Rules
Further screening of the progress in the implementation of the CEFTA 2006 Government Procurement clauses will be continued in the close cooperation with the Public Procurement Agencies and the OECD-SIGMA team.  A special attention will be given to defining and implementing a common format of notification of State Aid, with the objective to set up an operational notification system in 2011.   
CEFTA Secretariat

5. Priorities in 2011 (2) CEFTA Trade Portal
There are at least three up-dates foreseen in the year 2011.
 Perceiving it as a useful tool for business and other interested parties, the Chair encourages the users of the Portal to contribute with their comments and suggestions in order to improve its performances and ensure the output which suits to their needs. These will be incorporated in the revision of the Portal at the end of 2011.
Monitoring Instrument for NTBs
Emphasis will be put on the implementation of the OECD project on creating an instrument tool for monitoring the NTBs.
Customs Cooperation and Rules of Origin
Special attention will be given to the enhancing of the capacities of customs authorities and ensuring full implementation of diagonal cumulation based on common rules of origin.
These activities will be complemented with the IFC Project on Regional Trade Logistic in SEE.
 Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
The main goal is to ensure the adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights in accordance with international standards and conventions listed in Annex 7 to the Agreement.
Contingent Protection Rules
The aim is to have these rules understood and implemented in a way that does not unnecessarily impede the trade among the CEFTA Parties.
CEFTA Secretariat

6. Tentative Calendar of Events 2011
DATE
VENUE
CEFTA Secretariat Steering Committee
11 March
Brussels
4th Subcommittee on Agriculture and SPS
11 May
Pristina
3rd Subcommittee on Customs and Rules of Origin
20 May
Tirana
3rd Subcommittee on NTBs and TBT
16-17 June
Sarajevo
CEFTA Deputy Ministers Meeting
June
3rd Meeting of the Working Groups on Trade in Services
Septmeber
Joint Committee Meeting
Oct/Nov
CEFTA Secretariat

7. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Chairmanships
CEFTA Structures
2011
2012
Chair in Office
UNMIK/Kosovo
Albania
Subcommittee on Agriculture and SPS
Subcommittee on NTBs and TBT
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Subcommittee on Customs and Rules of Origin
Working Group on TBT
Working Group on Trade in Services
CEFTA Secretariat

8. Technical Assistance Needs 2011 - 2012
TA needs in the area of NTBs elimination covered by the EC
CEFTA Trade Portal supported by GIZ
Additional TA needed for the following priorities:
TA to support activities of the CEFTA Working Group on Services in the preparation and execution of negotiations on the liberalistion of services
TA to promote the importance of trade liberalisation for international competitiveness of respective economies and the Region as a whole (strengthening of existing value chains; identification of potential value chains; their upgrading and inclusion into the global value chains; elimination of existing trade barriers, prevention of future potential trade barriers, etc.)
CEFTA Secretariat

9.
CEFTA Secretariat