Kosovo to sign FTA with Bosnia in September
ECIKS
Kosovo to sign FTA with Bosnia in September
Prishtina, July 8, 2005 - The delegation of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) returned yesterday from Sarajevo, where they met Bosnian authorities to discuss possibilities for reaching a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bosnia.
“At the meeting we harmonized the entire draft on an FTA,” Skender Ahmeti, MTI senior official told Lajm. According to Ahmeti, the only issue that requires more discussion is the preamble, since UNMIK wants to sign the FTA, just as it signed the FTA with Albania and Macedonia.
“The Bosnian authorities had some hesitations because they were not informed with whom they would negotiate in this regard,” said Ahmeti. “I believe that this issue will be solved in the coming meetings.”
The two delegations also discussed the list of goods that will be included in the list of the FTA. There will be no customs duty for agricultural products from Bosnia, as they pose no risk to Kosovo products. “We agreed that the customs duty decreases gradually, and finally in 2008 there will be complete liberalization of the market,” said Ahmeti.
FTA negotiations with Bosnia are expected to be concluded in September this year.
