The EU and Afghanistan today signed a deal concluding their bilateral negotiations on Afghanistan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva. Accession to the WTO is expected to make a lasting contribution to the process of stabilisation, economic reform and sustainable development in Afghanistan.

'I'm convinced that WTO membership will help Afghanistan's stabilisation and economic development,' said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, welcoming the deal. 'Kabul has continuously highlighted its commitment to speeding up its WTO accession process and today's signature in Geneva is a milestone in this respect. The EU hopes to welcome Afghanistan into the WTO family very soon and to see it playing a full part in the rules based multilateral trading system.'

The bilateral deal – signed by EU Ambassador Angelos Pangratis and Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister for Trade Mr Mozammil Shinwari – provides for lower tariffs and export duties for goods and for opening up services markets once Afghanistan joins the WTO. These commitments will be then embodied in the future Protocol of Accession of Afghanistan to the WTO.

Source: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/

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