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Croatia

This page gathers key information on Croatia's negotiations to join the WTO.  Croatia became the 140th WTO Member on 30 November 2000. As of 1 January 2007 it is a member State of the European Union (more info). All EU member States are WTO members, as is the EU (until 30 November 2009 known officially in the WTO as the European Communities for legal reasons) in its own right.

> Page for Croatia as a Member

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WTO accession process in brief

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Croatia's Timeline

I. Overview
GATT application received 22/09/1993  L/7298
GATT Accession Working Party established 27/10/1993  C/M/267
GATT terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  05/07/1994  L/7498
WTO application received & WTO accession Working Party established 30/01/1995
  •  In a communication, dated 23 September 1993, circulated as L/7298 (see above), the Government of Croatia applied for accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade on the basis of Article XXXIII of the General Agreement. Having regard to the Decision adopted by the General Council on 31 January 1995, the Working Party on the Accession of Croatia to the GATT 1947 was transformed into a WTO accession Working Party. See also: WT/GC/M/1.
WTO terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  14/08/1995  WT/ACC/HRV/1
~revised 10/04/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/8  + ( revisions)
Chairperson of the Accession Working Party   
1st 08/1995 - 06/2000 Ms. Anne-Marie PLATE (Netherlands)
Formal Meetings of the Working Party Convening notice/fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement(s) by Working Party members Delegation list Other documents for the meeting News item
1st 01/04/1996 — —  WT/ACC/HRV/10 — —
2nd 23/01/1997 — — — — —
3rd 21/01/1998 — —  WT/ACC/HRV/32 — —
4th 16/10/1998 — — — — —
5th 27/09/1999 — — — — —
6th 21/06/2000 — — — — —
Informal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
— — —
Plurilateral Meetings Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
— — —
II. Multilateral Negotiations
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)  29/03/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/5 (+  corrigendum)
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR 29/08/1995  WT/ACC/HRV/3 (+  addendum & corrigendum)
01/04/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/7 (+  corrigenda)
06/08/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/11
08/11/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/11/Add.1
22/01/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/27
28/07/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/27/Add.1
11/08/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/30
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/39
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/39/Add.1
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/39/Add.2
Factual Summary of Points Raised  — —
Additional Questions & Replies 19/01/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/45 (+  corrigenda)
23/04/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48
02/06/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/51
22/07/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/54
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party  27/08/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/6 (+  revision)
Draft Report of the Working Party  27/04/1999  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/7  (+  revisions & corrigendum)
Agriculture (WT/ACC/22/Add.1), including Questions and Replies  30/07/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/1  (+  revisions)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  21/07/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/55 
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  21/07/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/55 
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  — —
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/19 
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  — —
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
Comprehensive Legislative Action Plan (LAP)  29/09/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/58  (+  revision)
Rule-specific Action Plans  — —
Legislation and implementing regulations    Click for details Legislation notice Notified legislation
29/08/1995  WT/ACC/HRV/4
  •  Transformation of Socially-Owned Enterprises Act
  •  Croatian Privatization Fund Act
  •  Privatization Act
  •  Trade Bill
  •  Company Law
  •  Customs Law
  •  Customs Service Act
  •  Free Zones Act
  •  Banking Act
  •  Credit Relations with Foreign Countries Act
  •  Electric Power Supply Act with Explanations and Restructuring Programme
  •  Restructuring Programme and the new Croatian Railways Act
  •  Decree on Procurement of Goods, Works and Services
  •  Competition Protection Act
26/03/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/4/Add.1
  •  Law on Trade
  •  Statute of the Republic of Croatia on the Conditions and Method of Determining Tariff Bases
  •  The Privatization Act
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/16 (+  revision)
  •  New Customs tariffs of Croatia
18/11/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/26
  •  Croatian law on Foreign Exchange - English translation
16/04/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/28
28/07/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/29
02/04/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/34
  •  Law on Procurement of Goods, Services and Works
27/07/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/36
  •  Decision Promulgating the Law on Exceptional Measures of Price Controls of 8 July 1997
  •  Decision on the Compulsory Reporting of Price Lists and Tariffs of Certain Legal Persons
  •  Order on Identifying Products Requiring Reporting of Prices and Margins for the Purpose of Control
  •  Decision on Compulsory Reporting of the Price Lists or Tariffs of Certain Products and Services
  •  Order on Identifying the Products and Services Requiring the Reporting of Price Lists of Tariffs
  •  Decision on Amounts to be Paid for Covering the Costs of Quality Control of Products Upon Export and Import
  •  State Office for Standardization and Metrology: Rules for Preparation, Adopting and Issuing of Croatian Standards
  •  Regulation on Phytosanitary Inspection of Plants and Control of Plant Protection Products in the National Cross-Boundary Transportation
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/36/Add.1
  •  Law Amending the Law on Banks and Savings Banks (Official Gazette No. 89 of 30 June 1998)
26/10/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/44
  •  Extract of the draft Customs Law related to the issue of Customs Valuation
  •  Decision on Termination of the Decision on Determining the Goods Exported on Basis of Quota
  •  Decision Amending the Decision Determining the Goods Imported and Exported on Basis of Licences
20/01/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/46
  •  Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Oil Derivatives
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Beer
  •  Law on Excise Taxes on Automobiles, Other Motor Vehicles, Vessels and Aircraft
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Non Alcoholic Beverages
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Coffee
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Spirits
  •  Law on State Commodity Reserves
  •  Law Concerning the Healthiness and Health Control of Foodstuffs and General Use Articles
  •  Law on Waste
  •  Law on Environmental Protection
  •  Draft Law on State Inspectorates in Economy and Labour Area
  •  Draft Law Amending the Law on Trade
  •  Draft Tobacco Law
29/03/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/47
  •  Law on Free Zones
  •  Decree on the Criteria for Tariff Quotas
  •  Extract of the draft Customs Law related to the issue of Customs Valuation
06/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.1
03/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.2
04/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.3
  •  Standardization Act
  •  Extract of the draft Law on State Inspectorates in Economy and Labour Area Related to the Quality Control System
  •  Government Decision on Establishing the TBT and SPS Enquiry Point
  •  Law concerning the Healthiness and Health Control of Foodstuffs and General Use Articles (1996)
  •  Regulation on Phytosanitary Inspection of Plants and Control of Plant Protection Products in National Cross-Boundary Transportation
  •  Drugs and Medical Products Law
  •  Plant Protection Act
  •  Law on Excise Taxes on Spirits
  •  Decision on Termination of the Decision on Determining the Goods
  •  Decision Amending the Decision Determining the Goods Imported and Exported on the Basis of Licences
  •  Law on Exceptional Measures of Price Control
  •  Draft Government Decision on equalizing Administrative Fees on Import and Export of Waste
  •  Draft Decision on Amending Oil Derivatives Quality Requirements
11/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.4
  •  Decree Amending the Law on Administrative Taxes
  •  Decree on the Criteria for Tariff Quota
  •  Regulation Amending the Regulation on Standard Quality of Liquid Fuels
  •  Law on Excise Tax on Non-Alcoholic Beverages
  •  Regulation on the Procedure for the Adoption of Regulations on Basic Requirements for Goods, Processes and Services
02/06/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/50
05/10/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/53
29/07/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/56
09/08/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/57
Consultation documents    Click for details Consultation notice Notified consultation document
21/01/1997  WT/ACC/HRV/2 (+  revisions)
  •  Checklist of documents
29/08/1995  WT/ACC/HRV/4
  •  Reasons for requesting developing country treatment for the Republic of Croatia within the WTO
  •  Agricultural Strategy of the Republic of Croatia
  •  Annual Report of the Croatian Privatization Fund for 1994
  •  Financial Statements of the Croatian Privatization Fund for 1993 and 1994
  •  Export/Import Quotas for the Years 1991, 1992 and 1993
  •  Export/Import Quotas for the Year 1995
  •  List of Goods Imported and Exported on the Basis of 1995 Licences
  •  War Damage to the Agricultural Sector of the Republic of Croatia
  •  Basic Data on the Fishing Sector of the Republic of Croatia
  •  List of Quarantine Plant Pests
  •  Norms for the Establishment of health Conditions of Crops, Nurseries, Seed and Planting Material
  •  List of Protection Measures on Agricultural and Food Products
  •  List of Public Enterprises
  •  Tax System of the Republic of Croatia
26/03/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/4/Add.1
  •  Export/Import Licences in 1996
29/03/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/4/Add.2
  •  Export/Import Licences in 1996
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/16 (+  revision)
  •  New Customs Tariffs of Croatia
20/01/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/4/Add.3
  •  Corrected English translation of Appendix 28 - Law on the Protection of Market Competition - cited in document WT/ACC/HRV/3 of 29 August 1995
29/03/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/6 (+  revision & corrigenda)
  •  Lists of bilateral trade and economic agreements and international organizations in which Croatia participates
10/04/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/7/Add.1
  •  List of agricultural and food products subject to import levies
10/04/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/9 (+  corrigenda)
  •  Note on Trade in Services of Croatia
2907/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/12 (+  corrigendum)  Information on the subsidy programs of Croatia
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/13
  •  Information on Technical Barriers to Trade
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/14  Information on state trading in Croatia
05/08/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/15
  •  Information on Trade related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights in Croatia
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/17
  •  Information on Establishing a Bank, Branch and Representative Office in Croatia
30/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/18
  •  Information on Macroeconomic Indicators of Croatia
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/20  Information on the Internal Taxation Regime
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/21  Information on the SPS regime
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/22
  •  Information on Import and Export Quality Control of Goods
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/23  Information on export quotas in 1996
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/24  Information on future policy on rules of origin
29/07/1996  WT/ACC/HRV/25  Information on import licensing procedures
14/05/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/2 (+  revision & addendum)
  •  Initial offer of market acccess for trade in agriculture
25/08/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/5
  •  Information on measures affecting trade in services
21/01/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/31  Transition arrangements
20/03/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/33
  •  Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia
03/07/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/35
  •  Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
27/07/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/36
  •  Products Subject to Quality Control on Imports (HS Numbers)
  •  List of Croatian Standards
  •  Tender Documentation for the Purchase of Joint Stock Companies
  •  World Bank Project Portfolio in Croatia
27/07/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/37 (+  revision)  Legislative Changes prior to WTO Accession
27/07/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/38  Transitional periods
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/40 (+  corrigendum)  Information on privatization process
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/41
  •  Communication concerning the Information Technology Agreement
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/42
  •  Communication concerning the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft
03/08/1998  WT/ACC/HRV/43
  •  Information regarding Croatia's Procurement law
20/01/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/46
  •  Subsidies and Supports from State Budget Granted in the Republic of Croatia in 1997 and 1998
  •  Import Prices for Agricultural Products in 1997
  •  List of IBRD, EBRD and CEF Project Loans
  •  List of Products and Services which are subject to the Obliged Notification of Prices
05/02/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/46/Add.1
  •  Information regarding Privatization in Croatia
  •  Results of Voucher Privatization Auction in Croatia
03/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.2
  •  Attachment to the Decree on Rules of Origin
  •  Certificate of Origin
11/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/48/Add.4
  •  Phytosanitary Certificate
18/05/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/49  Information regarding non-agriculture subsidies
22/06/1999  WT/ACC/HRV/52  Imports to Croatia 1998
12/08/1999  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/8  (+  revision)  Consolidated list of specific commitments in services
13/09/1999  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/9   Consolidated list of concessions and commitments in goods
III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations 
Goods Offer(s)  23/04/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/3  (+  revisions)
Services Offer(s)  14/05/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/4  (+  revisions)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
Draft Goods Schedule  02/05/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/10  (+  corrigenda)
Draft Services Schedule  13/06/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/HRV/11
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings  — —
IV. Summary of Final Meeting of the Working Party
— —
V. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted) 
Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession 17/07/2000  WT/ACC/HRV/60
Protocol of Accession  17/07/2000  WT/ACC/HRV/61
Report of the Working Party 29/06/2000  WT/ACC/HRV/59
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)  29/06/2000  WT/ACC/HRV/59/Add.1
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)  29/06/2000  WT/ACC/HRV/59/Add.2;  WT/ACC/HRV/59/Add.2/Corr.1;  WT/ACC/HRV/59/Add.2/Corr.2
VI. Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) 
Specific Accession Commitments   http://acdb.wto.org/ click on “Report by Member”, select “Croatia” in drop down list then click on “View Report”
VII. Instrument of Acceptance 
Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession 31/10/2000  WT/LET/359
VIII. Date of Membership
  30/11/2000 140th Member  News item
IX. Since 1995, this is the…
12th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.
All documents on the accession of Croatia in Documents Online by date of circulation   help

Note:
The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System.  Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council.  The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved.  Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.