Economic integration

Bulgaria has asked the European Commission to step in to help restore the free movement of goods across the country's border with Greece blocked by Greek farmers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a document Nov. 28 that introduces sharp economic sanctions on Turkey, which include banning Turkish employment in the country, according to a statement by the Kremlin press service.

The European Commission said on Monday it finds the capital controls imposed by the Greek authorities to be 'justified' but called for the reinstatement of the free movement of capital as soon as possible.

The revision of the Customs Union between the EU and Turkey will provide an opportunity for the parties to overcome chronic problems such as visa issues and transport quotas, as well as enabling Turkey to build a solid foundation for new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that are becoming more important in EU trade policy, the Economic Development Foundation (IKV) in a note on May 13. 

BELGRADE - Fiat cars from the Kragujevac factory could start being exported to Russia duty-free as early as the first half of this year, Trade Representative at the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Serbia Andrey Khripunov told Tanjug Thursday.

BELGRADE - An economic integration of Western Balkan countries is a necessity, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday.

After a long time, we have managed to overcome a period of various conflicts and often cold relations - the key words today are stability and the highest level of integration, Vucic said at the opening of a regional business conference in Belgrade.

Turkey has yet to make an official application for membership of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), but it would be welcome to join, Kazakhstan?s ambassador to Turkey has said.

BELGRADE - The total trade volume between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) stands at around USD 50 billion, said Bojana Todorovic, assistant to the Serbian minister of trade, stressing that these countries should act as one in trade with this large and important partner.

Russia and Turkey may give preferential treatment to some sectors of their economies, the Russian Minister for Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev has said.

Ankara has put forward a plan to form a free trade zone with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, the Russian economy minister reportedly said after holding talks with his Turkish counterpart, amid Turkey’s mounting frustration with the European Union over a similar scheme.