The Republic of Northern Macedonia will chair the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) this year. Today, the Ambassador of the European Union, David Gere, and the Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, will present the priorities for 2021 for CEFTA under the presidency of the country.
The undertaking to lead in the implementation of priority activities is planned to be done through the implementation of the Regional Common Market Action Plan (TPR) 2021-2021, approved during the Sofia Summit in November 2020 and supported by the European Commission.
The main goals of the Northern Macedonia Presidency are to support the post-crisis economic recovery with KOVID-19, attract investment and increased trade in the region and better prosperity of the citizens in the Western Balkans. This will be achieved through the facilitation of trade in goods and services and the creation of a region without measures and obstacles that hinder trade.
This process is related to the regional economic field initiated within the Berlin Process and is an integral part of the European Union Economic Investment Plan (EIP) for the Western Balkans. The PEI emphasizes the construction of a common regional market as a way to increase competitiveness in the Western Balkans. The common regional market represents a step towards closer integration of the Western Balkans with the single market of the European Union before the formal inclusion.
