Representatives of the European Commission and Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions met in Sarajevo to discuss the level of approximation of the country in the fields of agriculture and fisheries. Bilateral trade developments were also analysed.

Progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in its European Integration process depends on the country’s fulfilment of the requirements of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the European Partnership with the EU, amongst others in those areas, which are particularly important for the country’s economy. At the end of the meeting, the delegations of the European Commission and of Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the following conclusions:

Overall, the Interim Agreement is smoothly implemented. The further gradual reduction of customs duties on agricultural and fishery products is ensured.

Both parties agreed that despite of the economic and financial crisis, Bosnia and Herzegovina succeeded in maintaining the stability of trade in agricultural products. Trade has decreased in 2009 from the EU to Bosnia and Herzegovina and vice versa. The reduced duties on products of EU origin have not led to an increase of imports of agricultural products from the EU into Bosnia and Herzegovina. This a positive sign for the slightly growing competitiveness and diversification of the sector.

The Commission underlined that Bosnia and Herzegovina should speed up procedures with regard to the approximation of legislation in agriculture, e.g. the Law on Protection of Geographical Indications.

Some progress was noted in the field of food safety and on veterinary and phytosanitary issues, which are key European Partnership priorities. The Commission invited Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve the implementation of the legislation and its administrative capacities including coordination of control structures.

The Commission welcomed progress made in rural development and encouraged Bosnia and Herzegovina to develop a countrywide comprehensive Rural Development Strategy. This would be to the benefit not only of farmers and producers of processed agricultural products, but also to the people living in the rural area, e.g. through infrastructure measures.

The Commission welcomed technical progress made in agricultural statistics and registration systems, which are key European Partnership priorities. The Commission recalled the high importance of the population census 2011 for the European Integration process of Bosnia and Herzegovina in general and for the agricultural sector in particular. The census should not be postponed.

The Commission recalled that the State level coordination of agricultural and fisheries policy should be further reinforced. The attribution of competences in the food safety sector should be further streamlined and clarified to avoid overlapping.

The Commission welcomed that fish caught from aquaculture facilities is under constant veterinary supervision. Bosnia and Herzegovina expects to considerably increase export of fish to the EU thus directly benefitting from the trade liberalisation. Bosnia and Herzegovina therefore requested the increase of quotas of fish products from 60 tons to 4,500 tons.