Znacaj porekla proizvoda u evropskim sporazumima o trgovini

Abstract

The key element of the EU's free trade and preferential trade agreements is the extent to which they deliver improved market access and thus contribute to the EU's foreign policy objectives towards developing countries and neighbouring countries in Europe, including the countries of the Balkans. The previous preferential trade schemes have been ineffective in delivering improved access to the EU market. The main reason for this is probably very restrictive rules of origin that the EU imposes, coupled with the costs of proving consistency with these rules. If the EU wants the 'Everything but Arms' agreement and free trade agreements with countries in the Balkans to generate substantial improvements in access to the EU market for products from these countries, then it will have to reconsider the current rules of origin and implement less restrictive rules backed upon by a careful safeguards policy. Governments apply rules to distinguish between foreign and domestic products and to define the foreign origin of a product where some imports receive preferential treatment. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the issue of the rules of origin, and on the "cummulation" of such rules within the EU preferential trade agreements. It does this, firstly, through detailing rules of origin, secondly, by providing a conceptual discussion of the impact of (the cummulation of) rules of origin, and thirdly, by exploring characteristics of preferential trade agreements.