Skopje, 26 October 2021 (MIA) – At the proposal of Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, the Government adopted Tuesday a decision on early application of the changes to the Protocol on origin of goods within the Republic of North Macedonia-EU Stabilization and Association Agreement, ensuring a framework for application of the revised preferential rules on the origin of goods at the start of November. The changes will affect all exporting economic operators and companies in the country. Considering that about 85 percent of the entire exports from North Macedonia is conducted with EU member-states and the 24 states of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean zone (EFTA, Turkey, CEFTA, Eastern Partnership and Mediterranean), these new rules are a revolution of a kind in the external trade exchange, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. It adds that producers in North Macedonia will get more opportunities for duty-free import of raw materials from third countries and export of finished products in the EU, also duty-free. All industries will benefit, but mostly companies manufacturing technologically advanced products, primarily those in the automotive industry and companies operating in free zones, as well as companies from the food and processing industries. Moreover, by reducing the added value criterion from 60 to 50 percent as national contribution in the product creation, their position at foreign markets is enhanced and they become more competitive, while creating an environment for new foreign investments that acquire far better conditions for export at these markets. These rules should facilitate the country’s economic integration at the regional economic market, consolidate and develop integrated supply chains with regional states that apply the new preferential rules of origin. Analyses have shown that the new rules of origin should further increase North Macedonia’s annual exports by 6.3 percent, reads the press release.