Košarac: We created a list of vital products that will have facilitated traffic between CEFTA countries

(Patria) - Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Staša Košara stated that BiH has created a list of essential products important for the population, which will be treated through the so-called green priority lane during traffic at certain border crossings between CEFTA countries in the conditions of the spread of the coronavirus.

This initiative will enable easier traffic of goods between CEFTA parties, and was created at the proposal of the CEFTA Secretariat, the Regional Cooperation Council, the Transport Community, the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) and the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD).

The aforementioned institutions recommended that CEFTA member countries make a list of introduced trade measures, form a list of essential products important for the population, and compile a list of border crossings open for freight transport. Products from the mentioned list will be treated at certain border crossings between CEFTA countries through the so-called green priority lane, which will enable easier traffic of goods in the newly created situation due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The CEFTA Secretariat is tasked with enabling electronic notification of the arrival of trucks transporting essential goods, by applying the necessary upgrade of the System for Electronic Data Exchange (SEED) based on the agreed list of goods.

"In the past four days, we have worked intensively on creating a list of vital products. In cooperation with entity ministries responsible for trade, we formed a list of necessary food items, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, entity ministries of health and the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of BiH, we formed a list of priority medicines and other medical supplies. Our task is to make work easier for domestic businessmen, especially in this situation, i.e., the difficult conditions due to the spread of the coronavirus," said Minister Košarac.

The list of essential products important for the population, which will be treated through the so-called green priority lane during traffic at certain border crossings between CEFTA countries, has been submitted to the CEFTA Secretariat via the contact point of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH.