Serbia asking for new voting model in CEFTA

Serbia is negotiating with the CEFTA members in order for the manner of voting within the organization to change in the upcoming period, to the end of avoiding the practice present so far of one country's blocking another in the process of voting on important agreements, reports the website of the Government of Serbia.

So far, all the decisions of the members have had to be reached by consensus of all countries, whereas Serbia is now proposing a “consensus minus one” model.

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic says that this would help avoid the possibility of one country's blocking another in signing certain agreements within the CEFTA if, for example, there is a certain dispute between the two countries.

– We are asking for another model, which is “consensus minus one”, so that decisions might be reached. This would accelerate the reaching of decisions considerably. On the other hand, it would act preventively to stop certain countries from setting up non-customs barriers – Ljajic says.

The minister says that negotiations about the Protocol 6 within the CEFTA are in progress as well, and that they pertain to free trade and services between the states of the region.

He also explains that talks are being carried out with other members of the organization about mutual recognition of university degrees, which, as he says, would enable a free flow of workforce between the countries of the Western Balkans.

The intention, he points out, is to have all the degrees acquired at all the higher education institutions recognized among the states of the region at the end of the whole negotiation process.

– The aim is to also enable a free flow of workforce, along with the recognition of all qualifications between the countries of the Western Balkans – Ljajic points out.

When it comes to the flow of goods, Ljajic points out that certain decision related to the Customs Union, recently signed at the Trieste Western Balkans Summit, will prove to be beneficial to citizens of Serbia as soon as late 2017/early 2018.

Namely, he says, these pertain to a reduction in the volume of procedures in exporting Serbian goods to the region, which will considerably decrease delays at the borders.

Cefta Secretariat Brussels

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

CEFTA

Ministry of Trade

Rasim Ljajic

Protocol 6 CEFTA

CEFTA decisions

CEFTA agreement

non customs barriers

recognition of university degrees abroad

recognition of university degrees in the region

Western Balkans

Customs Union