Serbia to apply EU interim deal from 2009

The government has unanimously decided that Serbia will begin implementing the Interim Trade Agreement with the EU starting January 1, 2009. “The basic goal is to cut the time between implementing the agreement and achieving EU candidate status,” Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic told a cabinet meeting, part of which was open to the public. Serbia to apply EU interim deal from 2009 Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said that by the New Year, customs charges on imports of used cars from the EU would be lowered from the current level of 20 percent to 10 percent. Cvetkovic said that these reductions in customs taxes were not part of the Interim agreement, but were considered as “beneficial for the citizens.” Earlier Djelic told B92 that he expected the government to adopt the decision unilaterally. This will help Serbia prepare for EU candidate status and will be more attractive for foreign investors, said the minister, adding that the early days of application “won't bring anything ground-breaking in terms of prices“ for citizens, but will enable the country to “get accustomed to applying the agreement“. “That first step in 2009 won’t bring anything ground-breaking in terms of prices for our citizens. It will lead to a reduction of customs, duty on agricultural products, but there won’t be any big changes there. What I can say is that is important in that it will allow us to get accustomed to applying the agreement and in subsequent months we’ll have a lot more aces up our sleeve,“ he explained. Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic decribed to Beta which products the agreement would actually apply to. “One bit of good news for our citizens is that customs on car imports from the EU will be halved from January 1, regardless of whether they’re new or second-hand,“ he said. Djelic added that he believed that Serbia would become an EU member after the transitional period of six years, which meant 2014. At today’s session, which will be open to the public, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and the deputy prime ministers will review the first 100 days of the new government, the government’s press office has announced. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, archive)

Serbia to apply EU interim deal from 2009

Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić said that by the New Year, customs charges on imports of used cars from the EU would be lowered from the current level of 20 percent to 10 percent.

Cvetković said that these reductions in customs taxes were not part of the Interim agreement, but were considered as “beneficial for the citizens.”

Earlier Đelić told B92 that he expected the government to adopt the decision unilaterally.

This will help Serbia prepare for EU candidate status and will be more attractive for foreign investors, said the minister, adding that the early days of application “won't bring anything ground-breaking in terms of prices“ for citizens, but will enable the country to “get accustomed to applying the agreement“.

“That first step in 2009 won’t bring anything ground-breaking in terms of prices for our citizens. It will lead to a reduction of customs, duty on agricultural products, but there won’t be any big changes there. What I can say is that is important in that it will allow us to get accustomed to applying the agreement and in subsequent months we’ll have a lot more aces up our sleeve,“ he explained.

Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić decribed to Beta which products the agreement would actually apply to.

“One bit of good news for our citizens is that customs on car imports from the EU will be halved from January 1, regardless of whether they’re new or second-hand,“ he said.

Đelić added that he believed that Serbia would become an EU member after the transitional period of six years, which meant 2014.

At today’s session, which will be open to the public, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and the deputy prime ministers will review the first 100 days of the new government, the government’s press office has announced.