CEFTA: Bucharest Signing of New Central European Free Trade Agreement

The United States congratulates all ten parties - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, UNMIK/Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania - who signed the expanded Central European Free Trade Agreement today in Bucharest. The agreement consolidates 32 existing bilateral free trade agreements, assists non-World Trade Organization countries to prepare for membership, and leads to the closer economic cooperation that will facilitate accession to the European Union. The agreement is a testament to the new spirit of regional cooperation in Southeast Europe, and a strong signal to foreign investors interested in an emerging common market of 25 million people. We also congratulate the Stability Pact advisors who assisted in the negotiation process.