This year, finally, BiH slowly started to enjoy the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement with the countries of the European Free Trade Association – EFTA, which came into force almost two years ago.
In the first ten months of this year, BH exports increased in all member states of that association, but it is still a small amount and small shifts in foreign trade. However, representatives of the business community emphasize their encouragement for any positive movement. In the period from January to October this year in EFTA countries, which include Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, BiH exported goods worth about 148.9 million BAM, which is an increase by 17.1 % compared to the same period last year.
At the same time, imports from EFTA countries amounted to about 88.5 million BAM, and had a slower growth than exports to these countries, or had growing rate of 4.2 %. When it comes to exports to certain countries, the highest increase was recorded in Switzerland, in which we exported goods worth 132.2 million BAM, which represents an increase of 16.8 %. We exported goods worth around 15.3 million BAM in Norway, which represents an increase of 14.1 % in comparison to the first ten months of the previous year.
Our exports to Liechtenstein in that period amounted to 1.3 million BAM and it increased by 161 %, while we exported goods worth 83,000 BAM in Iceland, which represents an increase of 119 %.
(Source: ekapija.com)
