WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG132/N/1
22 January 2002
(02-0312)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
FREE TRADE AREA BETWEEN THE EFTA STATES AND CROATIA
Notification from the Parties to the Agreement
The following joint communication, dated 14 January 2002, has been received from the
EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and Croatia with the request that it be
circulated to the WTO Members.
_______________
The EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and Croatia, with
reference to Article XXIV:7(a) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, herewith
transmit the text of the Agreement establishing a Free-Trade Area between the EFTA States and the
Republic of Croatia with its Annexes, Lists and Protocols.  The bilateral arrangements on trade in
agricultural products, which have been concluded between the Parties, are also transmitted herewith.1
They form part of the instruments creating the Free-Trade Area.
The Agreement and the bilateral agricultural arrangements were signed on 21 June 2001.  The
Agreement entered into force for Croatia on 1 January 2002, and has been applied provisionally by
Liechtenstein and Switzerland as of the same date.  It is foreseen that the Agreement will enter into
force between Iceland and Croatia and Norway and Croatia following their respective ratifications
thereof during the first half of 2002.
In accordance with Article XXIV of GATT 1994, the objective of the Agreement is to
eliminate duties and other restrictions on trade in industrial products, including fish and other marine
products, between the EFTA States and the Republic of Croatia.  Within the framework of the
Agreement, bilateral agricultural arrangements have been concluded which provide for liberalized
trade in agricultural products.
Upon the entry into force of the Agreement, th e EFTA States will eliminate all duties and
restrictions on industrial products originating in Croatia, while Croatia will gradually eliminate its
duties until 1 January 2009.  The Agreement also contains provisions, inter alia , on intellectual
property rights, state monopolies, subsidies and competition.
The Parties will submit separately more detailed background information on the Agreement
on the basis of the Standard Format for information.  The text of the Agreement with its Annexes and
Protocols is also available on the Internet at the EFTA Homepage (http://www.efta.int).
__________
                                                     
1 The text of the Agreement is being circulated as WT/REG132/1.  The text of the bilateral agricultural
arrangements have been submitted to the Secretariat fo r consultation by interested delegations (office 3066).