Pristina implements fees for Serbian flour

Kosovan Minister of Trade and Industry Bajram Hasani reached the decision on implementing a protective measure for local flour producers, and the fees on flour from Serbia of 0.04 cents accordingly came into effect on October 23, Pristina press reports.

The decision was reached following the complaints made by local producers, the company M & Sillosi and the Kosovo Millers Association, which stated that flour from Serbia was sold below the market price, that is, the production price, which, as they believe, jeopardizes the local flour industry, the Epoka E Re daily reports.

The Kosovan customs administration has been ordered to implement the measure so that local flour producers would be protected, the newspaper writes.

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of Serbia Rasim Ljajic said today that the ministry had filed a protest with the temporary institutions of self-government in Pristina in charge of carrying out the CEFTA agreement, as well as with representatives of UNMIK, and required the so-called protective measure of October 23, which implemented a special import charge of EUR 40 per ton of flour from Serbia, to be abolished.

– This is a classic example of a non-customs barrier, which prevents or even stops the export of flour from Serbia – Ljajic told Beta.

The allegations that the flour from Serbia is sold below the market price, that is, the production price, are not true, Ljajic claims, as the price of flour exported to Macedonia, B&H and Montenegro is nearly identical, and these partners have not had any complaints so far.

– There is, then, no difference in the price throughout the region. Only exporting expenses can make a difference in the price per kilogram of flour, and it is therefore logical that the flour is slightly less expensive in Pristina than in, say, Tirana – the minister explained.

He added that this was a protectionist measure, adopted under pressure of the Kosovan millers lobby.

The fee of EUR 40 per ton, as the minister claims, is sufficient to make export of flour from Serbia cost-prohibitive.

– If the measure is not abolished, we will require an urgent meeting of the Joint Committee of CEFTA in order to put this issue on the agenda, while simultaneously addressing the relevant institutions of the European Commission – Ljajic said.

Ministarstvo Trgovine i Industrije Priština

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

Cefta Secretariat Brussels

Ministry of Trade and Industry of Kosovo

Bajram Hasani

production of flour

import of flour

export of flour

M & Sillosi

Kosovo Millers Association

flour from Serbia

flour

customs duty on flour

flour fees

CEFTA

UNMIK

Joint Committee of CEFTA