prijava
SARAJEVO, September 27 (FENA) - The Revised Free Trade Agreement between BiH and the Republic of Turkey has not been ratified yet, but the previous agreement is good and has provided benefits to many BiH companies, it was pointed out today during the Info Days of Halal Industry Association, Chambers of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, within the Sarajevo Halal Fair.
President of the Halal Industry Association and AS Holding Export Director Vedad Halilović said that the Republic of Turkey, as previously reported by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, generally has four types of contracts - with the EU, developed countries, developing countries and BiH.
“As far as the Republic of Turkey is concerned, BiH is a protected country through the Free Trade Agreement, and because of that has great benefits. Many companies have taken advantage of this, but there is still plenty of space. BiH is the only country that can market raw meat to Turkey,” Halilović said.
According to him, Turkey imports raw meat, but in a way that their butchers and competent teams go to South America, for example, where they find livestock fund and do the entire import procedure.
“We are the only country where our people and institutions can submit their certificates in order to export raw meat to Turkey. Also, there are other benefits, we are country free of customs duty and there are restrictions that Turkey imposes to protect its market. It is a great opportunity and what we have to do as manufacturers of halal and other products is to have our representative offices in Turkey. Some have already been established and are doing very well,” said Halilović.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Midhat Salić recalled that we have Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of Turkey since 2003, adding that there are effects of its implementation, and that the Revised Free Trade Agreement was signed in Ankara in May this year and it shall be ratified.
“Therefore, import-export ratio in 2009 was 2.5 percent, and in 2017 it was 58 percent. This has slightly decreased recently, but I hope that when the situation stabilizes it will return to normal,” said Salić, adding that the Revised Agreement brings new benefits.
(FENA) A. B.
