Brussels, 18/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - The Croatian and Bosnian ministers of foreign affairs, Vesna Pusic and Zlatko Lagumdzija respectively, and Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle agreed on 15 February on the transfer of Bosnian animal origin agricultural products via the Croatian port of Ploce. Thanks to this special regime, the vast majority of exports and imports of animal origin agricultural products will continue in the same way as before the entry of Croatia to the EU, Füle explained, adding that the regime will be applicable from 1 July 2013 until Sarajevo responds to EU standards.
Füle also recalled that the final decision concerning the continuation of the current regime of using identity cards for travel between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia belongs to the member states.
He also called on the two parties to urgently finalise the work on the border crossing points so that the posts can be opened and fully functional before Croatia joins the EU. He also called on Zagreb to immediately sign - and at the latest at the end of May - the border traffic agreement, the agreement on the crossing points and the joint statement on the Neum Ploce agreement. (CG/transl.fl)