Prema tekstu sporazuma, glavni cilj CEFTA-e je "ustanovljavanje zone slobodne trgovine postepenom liberalizacijom međusobnih trgovinskih odnosa, te uklanjanjem tarifnih i ostalih barijera za trgovinu tokom prijelaznog perioda."
According to the agreement, CEFTA's main goal is to "establish a free trade area by gradual liberalisation of mutual trade relations, and by the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade during a transitional period."