OEAK: More work to boost Kosovo's benefits from CEFTA

Despite the goods that the Free Trade Agreement in Central Europe (CEFTA) has brought to Kosovo in terms of integration into the regional market, economic benefits from this agreement have been small, given the many challenges facing local producers over the years.

That was the main conclusion, but how right? ” of today's table organised by the American Economic Oda in Kosovo, titled “CEFTA: Free Trade.

Visar Hapciu, the Policy Manager at the American Ode, stressed that at the time when Kosovo has become a member of this agreement, the country is represented through the UN's Interim Mission, which has been unable to establish measures for the protection of local productivity, like other member states of the agreement. When it is added to the non-vulnerable fiscal policies that have been in force for producers, this has resulted in the benefits from CEFTA for the state of Kosovo not being too large.

Goals Dervisolli, director of the Trade Department under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, stressed in a number of barriers that other member states of the agreement have applied for Kosovo products over the years that this agreement is in effect. She explained that the ministry has consistently addressed these challenges in the CEFTA secretariat, but the reaction from the counterparts has not always been the one. Dervisolli also stressed existing protection measures in imports, clarifying that the ministry has built capacity to implement these laws.

Valdet Djindovci, head of the Food and Veterinary Agency, said it is regrets that Kosovo producers have faced numerous non-tariff barriers to their exports to CEFTA member states. He explained that the institution he heads handles all the requirements of priority local producers in order to facilitate their activities, as well as export procedures in other countries. Furthermore, Djindovci clarified that recently significant steps have been taken to provide electronic services within this institution.

Hakif Gashi, representative of the Meridian Corporation company and vice president of the Board of Oda Governors, said CEFTA in the middle of the business community has been valued for political rather than economic weight. He stressed that the country's institutions should work with the private sector in general and the production sector in particular to identify and promote specific sectors where Kosovo can have competitive priorities in relation to other countries, which have potential for export in the coming years.

Cameron Zvi, representative of the Sampa production company, stressed that so far CEFTA has not been favourable for Kosovo, even thanks to the unfriendly fiscal policies that have been in force for producers over the years. Taking into account the recent fiscal measures undertaken by the government, which have helped draw the competitive position of production companies in Kosovo with those in the region, Zvey added that now is the time to see other possibilities for how the country's production sector can be helped, especially in terms of increased exports.

Next, participants had the opportunity to discuss the challenges and barriers they faced under CEFTA, as well as future steps that institutions must take to increase benefits from this agreement, O has announced. EAK through a media communique