EU reinstates trade preferences for the Western Balkans until 2015

The European Union today re-established the exceptional autonomous trade preferences, which it grants to all Western Balkans until the end of 2015.

Western Balkan economies will therefore continue as of 1 January 2011 to benefit from an unlimited duty-free access to the EU market for nearly all products. This is particularly important information for exporters of fruits and vegetables from Serbia since this provides them with the right to refund of the duties they paid for the export to the EU in 2011, the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade of Serbia announced Monday.

The tariff reductions under the new Regulation are applied retroactively to allow exporters to claim compensation for the duties paid in 2011.

Together with the bilateral Stabilization and Association Agreements (SAAs), these trade preferences support economic integration with the EU and hence foster political stability and economic progress in the entire region. The autonomous trade preferences should allow all Western Balkans to further benefit from the preferential trade regime, where this is more beneficial than the treatment foreseen in the SAAs.

In 2000 the European Union established for the first time exceptional unlimited duty-free access to the EU market for nearly all products originating in the Western Balkans. The regime was renewed in 2005, and due to expire on 31 December 2010.

Therefore, on 22 February 2010, the Commission proposed to extend this autonomous preferential regime until 31 December 2015. The European Parliament voted in favour of the Commission's proposal on 13 October 2011 and the Council adopted it on 24 November 2011.