The European Union is the official partner of this year’s Mostar International Economic Fair taking place from 9 to 13 April 2013. The Fair brings together companies and institutions from across the country and the region in a week-long event that is always a high point of the business year.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Head of Delegation/EU Special Representative Peter Sorensen said, “The European Union is a partner to the Fair because we share a common interest – trade, and specifically, free trade. The 27 Member States owe the advances we have made in the past decades to our decision to make trade the foundation of our co-operation. We believe that this approach has worked for us and we believe that it can work for you too in the Western Balkan region.”
Ambassador Sorensen also underlined the EU’s strong commitment to working in partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina to support the country’s EU integration. He underlined the strong progress made by other countries in the region and expressed the wish for the same in Bosnia and Herzegovina, identifying economic reforms, ensuring the rule of law and the fight against corruption as key priorities.
Also speaking at the opening were Chairman Bevanda of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Dacic of Serbia, Prime Minister Milanovic of Croatia and Prime Minister Djukanovic of Montenegro.
During the Fair the EU will hold workshops on the accession of Croatia to the EU (workshop date: 10 April) and on small and medium enterprises (workshop date: 12 April). Ambassador Sorensen will speak at the closing ceremony on 12 April.
At the EU exhibition stand, experts are available to discuss energy, tourism, the accession of Croatia to the EU and EU funding opportunities. Representatives of the embassies of Spain, the Netherlands and Romania will also be present with information on bilateral trade opportunities.
