The White House said in a statement on Thursday that the framework agreement on reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade will provide both countries’ exporters expanded access to each other’s markets.
Under the agreement, North Macedonia will eliminate customs duties for all US industrial and agricultural goods exported to North Macedonia, while the US will maintain at 15 percent the reciprocal tariffs.
“On energy sector opportunities, the US and North Macedonia take note of the construction of an important new gas interconnector between North Macedonia and Greece, which will allow North Macedonia to enhance energy security and diversify energy sources, including through purchases of US LNG,” the statement said.
“North Macedonia will commence purchase of US LNG upon completion of the new gas interconnector,” it said.
No further details regarding LNG purchases have been revealed.
Last year, North Macedonia’s Nomagas announced the start of construction of the gas interconnector with Greece.
The gas interconnector, with a total length of 66.7 kilometers, stretching from Gevgelija to Negotino, will provide an initial capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, according to Nomagas.
Northern Macedonia is a landlocked country in the Balkans, but its neighbor, Greece, has DESFA’s Revithoussa LNG terminal and Gastrade’s FSRU-based facility in Alexandroupolis.
Both of these LNG terminals receive mainly US LNG cargoes.
JSC Power Plants of North Macedonia previously booked capacity at Gastrade’s FSRU-based facility.