Leaders of a seven-member, free-trade zone in central Europe met today to discuss its future, as many of them prepare to join the European Union in the next few years.
The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) was signed in 1993 to gradually dismantle customs duties among its members.
"Our meeting must discuss two crucial questions concerning CEFTA's future: The admission of new members and the admission in the near future of signatories to the European Union," said Romanian President Mr Ion Iliescu.
The pact's members include five countries which are increasingly hoping to join the EU by 2004: Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary were given a boost this week when Brussels indicated it could offer membership to a group of 10 countries in a so-called "big bang" EU expansion.
Romania and Bulgaria are the only two CEFTA members with little imminent chance of joining the EU. Mr Iliescu said that CEFTA, "seen as a waiting room for the EU, represents a useful exercise to harmonise the national interests of several countries within the framework of a regional trade structure".
The prime ministers of all seven CEFTA countries attended the meeting in the Romanian capital. They were joined by Croatian Prime Minister Mr Ivica Racan, whose country would like to join.
CEFTA was initially set up by Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. It was later joined by Romania and Bulgaria.
It has long been dogged by disputes over farm products among its heavily agricultural members. Since nearly all members are agricultural competitors, they have regularly slapped bilateral import restrictions on each other's products.
AFP