APPLICATIO has been commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with the "Development of a Digital tool to Collect and Analyse Information on Non-tariff Barriers in the CEFTA region". The tool will consist of an online survey and be able to collect information from companies in the CEFTA Region regarding the Non-tariff barriers hindering them from doing business in the region and allow for analysis of such barriers to plan for mitigation action.
The increase of trade within the CEFTA region as well as with the EU offers considerable potential for the economies of the region. The implementation of many measures aimed at strengthening trade and competitiveness in the CEFTA region lags behind the regional agreements, while the harmonization of trade-related laws and regulations with EU standards and rules moves only sluggishly in some of the countries. Legal and administrative barriers still impede trade and competitiveness of companies. Hence, the core problem of the region is the lacking implementation of the reform agenda for trade and competitiveness across the region.
