On Tuesday 31 March, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, welcomed the decision of the Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti to eliminate customs duties on Serbian and Bosnian products. He was echoed on 1st April by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi.
“I am pleased to see the decision taken by the Interim Government of Kosovo to completely remove customs duties on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina”, he said, describing it as “significant”.
He said that “regional cooperation is essential, as is maintaining the flow of goods, especially during the COVID-19 crisis”.
Mr Várhelyi, for his part, noted that the abolition of customs duties was “essential for resuming a dialogue with Serbia”. “All trade barriers must be removed – regional cooperation is essential and necessary, as it is to combat the Coronavirus epidemic”, he added.
Mr Kurti confirmed on 31 March that his country would abolish 100 percent of customs duties on Serbian and Bosnian goods as of 1st April. At the end of February, he announced its intention to take such a measure (see EUROPE 12436/3).
These duties were imposed back in November 2018. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)