Farmers can export Products to the EU from now?

From the 1^st of February 2017, BiH is using again the benefits of the autonomous trade measures of the European Union (EU), as said from the Delegation of EU to BiH / EU Special Representative Office in BiH.

“Starting from the 1^st of February 2017, farmers from BiH will again be able to use trade benefits (the so-called “autonomous trade measures”) for certain agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables. This means that BH producers will be able to export those products to the EU without any specific duties, which will make them more competitive in the EU market.

This is a result of provisional application, also from the 1^st of February 2017, of the Protocol on the adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and BiH, which takes into account the Croatian accession to the European Union, which was signed on the 15^th of December 2016 in Brussels.

The European Union offers an exceptional and unlimited duty-free access to the EU market for nearly all agricultural and processed food products that are originating from the Western Balkans.

Between 2000 and 2015, BiH and other Western Balkan countries have benefited from these “autonomous trade measures” (ATM). These measures allow BH exporters to also be excused from certain customs duties on EU imports of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are associated with the so-called system of input prices, which will contribute to significant economic benefits for the agricultural sector of our country because economic agents will get privileged access to the EU market.

The system of input prices is aimed at stabilizing the EU market by preventing price levels in countries that are not members of the EU to affect prices within the EU.

These exceptional trade measures, which are abolishing the system of entry prices, were extended until the 31^st of December 2020 by the Regulation (EU) 2015/2423 of the European Parliament and of the Council from the 16^th of December 2015. Through the same regulation was also suspended the application of the autonomous trade measures related to BiH from the 1^st of January 2016, due to the then lack of agreement between the EU and BiH on the adaptation of the SAA.

Protocol on the adaptation of the SAA was signed by two parties on the 15^th of December 2016 and provisionally applied from the 1^st of February 2017 and is awaiting ratification by the EU and BiH. Furthermore, as required by Regulation 2015/2423, BiH will again benefit the autonomous trade measures starting from the 1^st of February 2017, as emphasized in the statement.

(Source: hayat.ba)