Brussels, 01/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the EU Council approved the removal, with immediate effect, of the trade restrictions on textile products with Bosnia-Herzegovina, in accordance with the agreement initialled last November aimed at contributing to the country's economic recovery by removing, depending on a mutual opening up of markets, the quotas that had so far limited its exports to the EU. The Commission observes that textile products and clothing represent over a quarter of all the country's exports to the EU and that, in 1999, this type of Bosnian exports to the EU amounted to 92 million euro, and EU exports to Bosnia 88 million euro.
The Commission noted that the agreement would also provide significant advantages to the European textiles and clothing industry, as Bosnia-Herzegovina will refrain from increasing customs duties on these products. Furthermore, the country will agree, in future negotiations over a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU, to dismantle duties applicable to these products at a rate at least as fast as that applied to other industrial products. The reestablishment of quotas could be authorised were Bosnia-Herzegovina not to fulfil commitments made regarding market access.
In addition, so as to prevent circumvention of textiles products and guarantee their Bosnian origin, a system of double-checking (licences) is planned for eleven of the most sensitive products for the EU (cotton yarn, woven cotton and synthetic fabrics, pullovers, blouses, shirts, trousers, terry towelling, woven overcoats, suits, etc.).