BiH one step closer to exporting red meat to the EU

Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, Staša Košarac, stated that the European Commission has provided BiH with an assessment of the questionnaire for exporting red meat to the EU market, with additional recommendations that need to be fulfilled in the coming period.

"This means that we have entered the second phase in the process of approving the export of red meat to the EU. This is encouraging news for our farmers, as opening the lucrative European market means an exceptional opportunity and an additional incentive for the development of domestic agricultural capacities," Minister Košarac said.

He welcomed the progress made in negotiations with the European Commission, emphasizing that the first phase in approving the export of red meat was successfully completed after BiH submitted answers to the questionnaire questions in October last year. 

Minister Košarac called on competent institutions at all levels of government in BiH to actively work on implementing the additional recommendations. These relate to meeting the conditions regarding animal public health, farm registration, animal identification, and the infectious disease surveillance program and the establishment of a laboratory network.

"These are the conditions we must meet in the second phase, after which, depending on the epidemiological situation, competent inspectors from the EU will come to BiH and carry out the necessary controls," said Minister Košarac.

He supported the activity of institutions at all levels of government in BiH in this process, and stated that the model of cooperation and coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH with competent entity ministries, which he has advocated for since the beginning of his mandate, has had a positive outcome for domestic agricultural producers.

"We are fully committed to creating policies and solutions that will open the European market for domestic producers. Placing domestic products on new markets is one of the measures by which we protect domestic production and create conditions to minimize market surpluses, caused by the coronavirus pandemic," concluded Minister Košarac.