Košarac informed the BiH Mission to the EU about problems with exporting goods

(Patria) - Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Staša Košarac informed the BiH Mission in Brussels about the difficulties faced by agricultural producers in BiH when placing products on the European Union market.

In a letter sent to the BiH Mission to the EU, Minister Košarac pointed out that domestic farmers are facing problems with the export of goods subject to phytosanitary inspection by the competent authorities in Croatia, concerning the working hours of phytosanitary inspectors at the Stara Gradiška and Nova Sela border crossings, and the number of border crossings with Croatia where the transit of plants, plant products, and other goods subject to phytosanitary inspection supervision can take place. Namely, the working hours of phytosanitary inspectors at the Stara Gradiška border crossing are from 08:00 to 16:00, and at the Nova Sela border crossing from 07:00 to 15:00, in both cases only on weekdays.

Minister Košarac reminded that several associations of agricultural producers have approached the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH with a request to extend the daily working hours and allow Saturday work for phytosanitary inspectors at the aforementioned border crossings, so that fresh produce, with a very high water content, can reach the end consumer as quickly as possible due to perishability and quality degradation, which is hindered by the current working dynamics of phytosanitary inspectors at the mentioned border crossings.

The BiH Mission to the EU was also informed that in the past period, at meetings of representatives of all competent institutions in BiH and export-oriented associations of agricultural producers, it was concluded that the problem is caused by new European legislation defining official controls and plant health protection, which provides for phytosanitary inspection for plant crops and goods that were not previously inspected by the phytosanitary inspection on this basis. This has increased the number of phytosanitary inspections and created congestion at the border, which is the main reason why the need for extending working hours and allowing Saturday work at the existing border crossings has arisen.

'I am fully committed to protecting domestic production through the export of agricultural products to the EU market, respecting the international agreements that BiH has signed. I believe that we must make additional efforts and, through diplomatic activities with the competent authorities in Croatia, arrange for the unimpeded flow of goods by extending the daily working hours and allowing Saturday work for phytosanitary inspectors at the Stara Gradiška and Nova Sela border crossings, to the satisfaction of our agricultural producers,' Minister Košarac stated.