Products of animal origin produced in Kosovo do not reach the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), while such products from BiH are on store shelves in Kosovo.
This is despite the fact that both countries are part of an agreement known as the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), which aims to facilitate trade in the countries of the Western Balkans.
Products of animal origin from BiH on the Kosovo market
BiH and Serbia are the only countries in the region that do not recognize the independence of Kosovo, declared in 2008, and as such do not recognize the Kosovo veterinary certificate either.
A veterinary certificate is a document that confirms the safety of veterinary cargo. In this certificate, the manufacturer is obliged to enter the origin of the product – in this case the Republic of Kosovo.
The executive director of the Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency Flamur Kadriu confirmed that at the end of last year, he asked the Food and Veterinary Agency in BiH to allow the entry of Kosovo products of animal origin. In March, he adds, an official letter was sent to the officials of the Government of this country for the same purpose.
“These institutions did not react. The case has already been reported to the CEFTA secretariat,” says Kadriu.
Data from the Customs of Kosovo show that from 2022 to April 13th, 2023, the value of meat products that entered Kosovo from BiH is over 190 thousand euros, while the value of dairy products is over 4.8 million euros.
From 2018 to April 2023, Kosovo imported products from BiH worth about 240 million euros, according to the data of the Customs of Kosovo. In addition to milk and meat products, Kosovo also imports beverages, alcohol, wood products, ceramics, glass, toys, etc. from BiH, Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
