Legal Texts

CEFTA 2006 is an Agreement on the amendment of and accession to the original Central European Free Trade Agreement.  It was prepared in this manner to allow for a simultaneous amendment of the Agreement and an enlargement of its membership.

It was negotiated by the Parties between April 2006 and December 2006 under the auspices of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and with the support of the European Commission.  The Agreement is fully in line with the Parties’ obligations to the European Union and where relevant to the WTO.

The Signatory Parties to the enlarged and amended agreement are: the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Montenegro, Romania, the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo on behalf of Kosovo in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

The Republic of Bulgaria and Romania left the Agreement in January 2007 upon accession to the European Union.  Under Article 51 of CEFTA 2006, the Parties agree that in the event of any eligible Party becoming a member of the European Union, that Party will withdraw from this Agreement at the latest the day before membership takes effect.

The Agreement stipulates those areas where the Joint Committee can take decisions and where recommendations can be issued.  Decision No 1/2007 Rules of Procedure of the Joint Committee, provides the necessary procedures for the entry into force of any decisions.  All decisions must be taken by consensus.

The text of the Agreement and its various annexes as well as the text of all decisions adopted to date by the Joint Committee can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate link on the left hand side of this page.