Serbia biggest beneficiary of CEFTA deal

Serbia turns out to be the biggest beneficiary of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).

From trade exchanges among 6 countries, based on the CEFTA Agreement, Serbia has the largest weight and the most developed economy by the 6 CEFTA member states, Koha Ditore writes today.

Albania's Minister of Finance and Economy, Arben Ahmetaj, has stated to the National Trade Relief Committee that during the last 10 years Albania's trade exchanges have increased by about 5 times under CEFTA, where the largest increase has marked trade exchanges with Serbia by 8.73 times, with Kosovo 6.2 times and with Montenegro 5.6 times.

In total, Albania's trade exchanges with the countries of the region in 2017 occupy 11.1% of total trade exchanges. While the economies of the 6 Western Balkan countries are committed to creating a Regional Economic Zone ( REA in CEFTA.

The Regional Economic Zone (REA) is an integrated area, where goods, services, investments and qualified labour force can move without obstacles within the 6 countries of the Western Balkans, aimed at boosting the region's economic integrity, expanding the market for potential investors, creating the chain of regional values and improving trade relations within the WB6 and the EU.