The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Stasa Kosarac, said that veterinary inspectors from the European Commission’s Directorate for Health and Food Safety last week conducted several days of monitoring to determine eligibility for red meat exports from BiH to the EU market.
He emphasized that in that period, European veterinary inspectors performed the necessary controls in the observed facilities at export-oriented economic entities from both BiH. entity, according to the Ministry.
“This is the second level supervision within the procedure of approving the export of red meat to the European market, after we successfully completed the first phase and received an assessment of the questionnaire from the European Commission with additional recommendations,” said Kosarac.
He stated that at the final meeting in the Veterinary Office of BiH, the European audit team presented preliminary findings and observed shortcomings, after which a written report will be submitted to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Based on the report, we will develop an action plan in cooperation with the Veterinary Office of BiH and the competent bodies of the Republika Srpska, the Federation of BiH and the Brcko District.” “Our goal is to fulfill the set requirements as soon as possible on the basis of recommendations and enable domestic businessmen to place red meat on the large European market,” Kosarac emphasized.
He stated that the EU is still the most important foreign trade partner of BiH, which participates in the total foreign trade with more than 72 percent of exports, and that additional efforts are needed to open the European market with 500 million potential consumers for domestic agricultural producers.
“We are fully committed to creating policies and solutions that will open the European market for our manufacturers. Without diminishing its importance, we are aware that due to global market disruptions, we must open the possibility of placing on the markets of other countries, such as China, Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and similar, “said Kosarac.
