Turkey to initiate free trade accords with Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro
REGION: Turkey to Initiate Free Trade Accords with Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro
08.01.2007
The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (DTM) will initiate free trade agreement (FTA) talks with four countries in the first half of 2007. Sources told the A.A on Monday that DTM was planning to start FTA talks with Georgia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia in the coming months.
Highlighting importance of FTAs with respect to Turkish businessmen’s investments and commercial ties in those countries, sources said that FTAs enabled the countries to export or import goods without paying customs taxes.
Meanwhile, the FTA which was signed between Turkey and Albania in December 2006 is expected to be ratified by the Turkish parliament till May.
The FTA between Turkey and Egypt is expected to come into force in the first half of the year.
Under the common trade policy with the EU, Turkey signs separate FTAs with countries which previously signed such agreements with the EU.
Currently, FTAs with Israel, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia are in force. The FTA signed between Turkey and Syria came into effect as of January 1st, 2007.
The FTAs with Romania and Bulgaria ended after those countries became full members of the EU on January 1st, 2007. Commercial relations with Romania and Bulgaria will be carried out under the Customs Union.
Source: www.reporter.gr
