Council of Ministers adopts measures to boost BiH exports

The BiH Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, has adopted a set of measures and activities aimed at removing barriers to existing and new markets for products from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should increase BiH exports, reduce the trade deficit, and ensure safer food supply from domestic sources, as well as better consumer protection, it was confirmed by the BiH Council of Ministers, reports NAP.

By the end of next year, the BiH Council of Ministers plans to adopt a risk control system for goods imported into BiH, especially for meat and edible offal, milk and dairy products, fruits and vegetables. By then, proposals for laws on veterinary medicine, food, amendments to the Law on Agriculture, Nutrition and Rural Development, as well as on wine and organic production, should also be adopted.

- In parallel with these measures, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, in cooperation with competent institutions, continues activities to promote BiH products through branding and harmonization of legislation, which includes the preparation of new regulations related to the protection of authenticity, geographical origin, and traditional reputation of products in the food industry – it was announced from the Council of Ministers.

BiH should soon begin developing strategic documents in the field of agriculture and rural development, and the Draft Strategy for Quality Infrastructure Development in BiH will be completed by the end of 2017.

Activities that will enable the smooth export of a certain group of products from BiH to the EU market in the next two years should result in the conclusion of an Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Documents and Conformity Marks between BiH and the EU (ACAA agreement).

Among the planned measures are increasing industrial competitiveness and adopting the necessary bylaws prescribed by the Law on Customs Policy in BiH.

- Activities carried out by the current Council of Ministers, such as the liberalization of trade in services, facilitation of trade, and the signing of several protocols on cooperation in the field of trade in 2015, have already yielded positive results, confirmed by an export growth of 3.52 percent, a decrease in imports of 2.75 percent, a decrease in the trade deficit of 8.69 percent, and an increase in the export-import coverage ratio of 3.10 percent – it was announced from the BiH Council of Ministers, reports NAP.