A solution sought in BiH milk war.
Croatian agriculture minister Tihomir Jakovina said he would ask the European Commission to solve the problem of traditional trade between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as fast as it had resolved the issue of authorization of exports of dairy products from BiH to the EU market. “We insist and ask the European Commission to address the issue of traditional trade between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina” he said, commenting on the decision of the European Commission to allow the BiH dairies to export their products to the EU, reports Jutarnji List on September 10, 2015.
Jakovina thinks it is very strange that the EU Directorate of Agriculture keeps finding new solutions for the large surpluses of milk, and then another department (Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health) allows the dairies from third countries to create additional competition in the same dairy sector. Jakovina said that on 21 August Croatia filed a complaint to the decision to include four dairies from Bosnia in the list of dairies which have been allowed to export dairy products to the EU.
Veterinary issues and food safety were some of the reasons why Croatia objected in August. Another reason was the fact that BiH does not respect its obligations with regard to the traditional trade relations with Croatia before it became a full member of the EU and while it was a member of CEFTA. All CEFTA members have completed the negotiations with the European Commission and signed the agreements, except Bosnia and Herzegovina. “They cannot demand new rights and new privileges in relation to the EU market, and on the other hand refuse their obligations. That was the reason why we filed a complaint in August”, said Jakovina.
Jakovina added that Croatia wants to have good neighborly relations with BiH, but expects partnership from the other side. Croatian exports to BiH have dropped significantly compared to the period while it was a member of CEFTA, due to customs duties and levies imposed on Croatian products. “We expect and we demand that the European Commission solves this problem”, said Jakovina.
