The decision to implement the Law on Customs Policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina could cause problems for the economic sector
Bh. exporters warn that the adopted Decision on the Implementation of the Law on Customs Policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina may cause unforeseeable consequences in the economic sector, since exports are limited. The Association of Employers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the companies initiated the procedure to amend the Decision. They are asking the Council of Ministers to comply with the new law, and the Government of Tuzla Canton also sent the initiative.
The exporters state that the said Decision, which was confirmed by the Council of Ministers, and which should be finally implemented in February next year, will cause far-reaching negative consequences, because the customs clearance procedure is shortened from 24 hours, seven days a week, to a period of 10 hours, during six days a week.
“So, specifically in the case of Širbegović Inženjering, it will reduce the export process to about 70 percent within one day”, says Edis Bajić, head of the Legal Department of “Širbegović Inženjering” Gračanica.
“Exporting our goods requires daily loading and equipment of up to 200 trucks that must be equipped and loaded within 24 hours, so in this case we would be forced to stop loading and equipment after 5 pm in the afternoon and continue the next day. This can make work very difficult, no not only of ArcelorMittal, but also of the transporter who will waste a lot of time”, said Sena Šaranović, director of the Order Management Department “ArcelorMittal” Zenica
All this, they say, can lead to the loss of customers on export markets, a decrease in the level of business and indirectly affect suppliers and emergency contractors. In the letter addressed to the Council of Ministers and the line ministry, they ask the following questions:
“Why, in the current difficult business conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and difficult economic conditions abroad, due to numerous price increases, are exports slowing down and limiting? Is the goal of adopting new regulations to slow down economic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reduce exports and create an economic environment which repels foreign investors, or vice versa?”
The Government of Tuzla Canton, where most of the leading exporters are located, sent the initiative to the relevant addresses.
“Those who decide on things like this should take them seriously and solve them in time and take into account everything we have here, our production, our entities that are export-oriented and that can’t even do business without exports,” said Rijad Bašić. Assistant Minister for Economy of Tuzla Canton
“Our company is 95 percent export-oriented, our business is throughout the European Union and we want to continue in that direction, so we really think that, together with other exporters, we will go in that direction,” says Bajić.
While the exporters are hoping to change the Decision, we also sent inquiries to the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but we did not receive an answer. Employers call for active efforts to develop the economy and encourage economic development, increase production and facilitate exports and attract foreign investors, instead of making harmful decisions.
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