Press Release: EU and Serbia conclude textiles agreement

The EU and Serbia initialled a bilateral agreement on trade in textiles on 22 December 2004. Under this agreement the EU will lift all textile quotas applied to Serbia. In return, Serbia will dismantle tariffs applied to EU textile imports. In addition, both parties will refrain from applying any non-tariff barriers to each other's textile and clothing exports. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said: 'This agreement is a tangible example of the increasing closeness of the EU's relations with Serbia through the Stabilisation and Association Process. It shows how both our economies can benefit from deeper cooperation'.