Cvetković warns of EU deal postponement

Implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement with the European Union will not begin as planned on January 1, says Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic. He told a press conference that implementation of the agreement could not begin before changes to the Customs Law were adopted, which is one of the accompanying laws to the 2009 budget. Cvetkovic warns of EU deal postponement The adoption of Customs Law amendments was postponed to allow the budget to be adopted yesterday before expiry of the legal deadline. The law, along with six other accompanying budget laws, will be submitted to parliament again in January, Cvetkovic said, adding that he expected it to be adopted soon so that the EU agreement could take effect. He said that the Interim Trade Agreement would be of great benefit to the economy and people of Serbia, despite the fact that customs revenues would fall as a result. Cvetkovic said that lower customs taxes would reduce the cost of the import of raw materials and encourage competition, which, in turn, would lead to lower prices. The Serbian government decided on October 16 to begin implementing the agreement on January 1 in order to cut the time between implementation of the agreement and receiving EU candidate status. The Interim Trade Agreement envisions the gradual liberalization of trade in industrial and agricultural products over the next six years. Cvetkovic said that Serbia would submit its application for EU candidate status in the first half of 2009. He said that Serbia had two EU integration goals in 2009: meeting the conditions for inclusion on the Schengen white list and receiving candidate status. As far as Kosovo is concerned, Cvetkovic said that Serbia would do everything it could in 2009 to prepare for the International Court of Justice case on the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence. The case is expected to begin in 2010. The prime minister said that 2009 would be difficult economically, but that Serbia would have the strength to pull through. Once the world economy recovers, Serbia will strengthen its industry and head towards GDP growth, Cvetkovic said. Mirko Cvetkovic (FoNet archive)

Cvetković warns of EU deal postponement

The adoption of Customs Law amendments was postponed to allow the budget to be adopted yesterday before expiry of the legal deadline.

The law, along with six other accompanying budget laws, will be submitted to parliament again in January, Cvetković said, adding that he expected it to be adopted soon so that the EU agreement could take effect.

He said that the Interim Trade Agreement would be of great benefit to the economy and people of Serbia, despite the fact that customs revenues would fall as a result.

Cvetković said that lower customs taxes would reduce the cost of the import of raw materials and encourage competition, which, in turn, would lead to lower prices.

The Serbian government decided on October 16 to begin implementing the agreement on January 1 in order to cut the time between implementation of the agreement and receiving EU candidate status.

The Interim Trade Agreement envisions the gradual liberalization of trade in industrial and agricultural products over the next six years.

Cvetković said that Serbia would submit its application for EU candidate status in the first half of 2009.

He said that Serbia had two EU integration goals in 2009: meeting the conditions for inclusion on the Schengen white list and receiving candidate status.

As far as Kosovo is concerned, Cvetković said that Serbia would do everything it could in 2009 to prepare for the International Court of Justice case on the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.

The case is expected to begin in 2010.

The prime minister said that 2009 would be difficult economically, but that Serbia would have the strength to pull through.

Once the world economy recovers, Serbia will strengthen its industry and head towards GDP growth, Cvetković said.