RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/Q1/BGR/2
26September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3998)
Original: English Working Party onState Trading Enterprises
STATE TRADING
Questions Posed byNEW ZEALAND
Concerning theArticle XVII Notification ofBULGARIA1
Thefollowingcommunication,dated18July1997,hasbeenreceivedfromthePermanentMission
ofNewZealand.
_________________
Asindicated inthemeeting lastFriday, mydelegation would liketoposethefollowing question
relating toBulgaria 'snotification totheWorking Party onState Trading Enterprises.
1. WenotethatBulgaria 'snotification indicates thatithasnostatetrading enterprises. Bulgaria
willrecall thatthequestion ofSTEs wasraised during itsaccession process, withMembers noting
thesignificant involvement ofstate-owned enterprises inexports andimports. Atthetime, Bulgaria
indicated thattheintention wasforthese bodies topassintoprivate ownership.
- Would Bulgaria beabletoprovide some brief details ondevelopments inthe
privatization process, including thelevel oftrade stillgenerated bystate-owned
enterprises?
2. Inrespect ofBulgartabac, Bulgaria indicated intheAccession Working Party thatthishadbeen
transformed in1993 intoaholding ofsmaller jointstock andlimited liability companies.
- Could Bulgaria advise whether thesecompanies havebeenprivatized orremain instate
ownership?
1G/STR/N/1/BGR.