Despite initial success, underlying issues of political mistrust persisted interfering with substantial change. This policy paper argues that:
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- CEFTA Secretariat should be given executive powers with authority strictly limited to trade-related aspects of the Action Plan;
- An effective, rules-based, and reliable dispute settlement mechanism should be arranged;
- CEFTA should closely cooperate and coordinate its actions with regional organisations interested;
- CEFTA should closely collaborate with civil society organisations in every step of the way;
- Promotive and informative activities should be implemented.
This paper won the third place in the competition “CEFTA – regional trade area and beyond: Call for Innovative Policy Proposals” which was announced on the occasion of ten years of CEFTA