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.