Brussels, 02/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - The entry into force, on 1 July, of the interim agreement signed in addition to the stabilisation and association agreement (SAA) at the General Affairs at/External Relations Council of 16 June (EUROPE 9683), is paving the way for modern trade relations between the EU and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The signature of the interim agreement allows the commercial plank of the SAA to be implemented without having to wait for the process of ratification to conclude. The interim agreement provides for the creation of a free-trade zone between the Twenty-Seven and Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a gradual opening-up of the Bosnian market for goods and services to facilitate the economic and social development of the country. Bosnia-Herzegovina will have to gradually bring its legislation into line with Community rules in certain fields, such as competition, intellectual property, investment, public procurement and the protection of personal data. The EU is Bosnia's number one commercial partner. In 2007, bilateral trade was worth nearly 5 billion EUR. Imports from the EU constituted 66.6% of the total volume of Bosnia-Herzegovina's imports, and exports to the EU represented 71.4% of the total volume of exports. Between 2006 and 2007, EU imports from Bosnia-Herzegovina increased by 6.1% to reach 1.8 billion EUR, whilst its exports to the former Yugoslav Republic grew by 8.3%, to reach a level in excess of 3 billion EUR. (E.H./trans.fl)