Several significant changes have been made to the Europe Agreements which link the ten associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe who are candidates for EU membership. Most changes have been made following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round to prevent harm to agricultural exports to the EU.

Preferential agricultural trade arrangements with Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have been extended temporarily. while changes have been made to the Europe Agreements with Slovakia and Poland relating to customs duties. These are designed to ease trade, so that for example, materials originating in the EEA or in any of the other associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe will be considered as originating in the EU or in Slovakia or Poland when incorporated into a product obtained there. They also clarify what documents are needed for goods to benefit from this agreement.