Trilateral Meeting of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia and European Union Ends with Understanding on Several Important Issues



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A trilateral meeting in Brussels, of February 15, between Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and European Union, devoted to finding a modality to solve the outstanding issues between BIH and Croatia produced an understanding on several important topics.

 

The meeting, attended by Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs dr Zlatko Lagumdžija, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the republic fo Croatia Vesna Pusić, and European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Fule, who was the host of the meeting. The topics were all outstanding issues between BIH and Croatia, defined at pervious talks as priority issues to be solved before Croatia enters  the European Union, on July 1, 2013.

 

After a year of negotiations and with clearly articulated demands, it took only two trilateral meetings and several technical level trilateral meetings for Bosnia and Herzegovina to get from the European Union considerable concessions to mitigate negative implications to Bosnia and Herzegovina, its citizens and economy, of Croatia’s entry into the EU membership.

 

Specifically, it was agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina should continue using the Ploče Port under a favourable regime after Croatia joins the EU, and it should be able to export and import all industrial goods, and goods of herbal and animal origin. A high level of concord was reached on import. Bosnia and Herzegovina committed not to import goods of herbal or animal on-compliant to EU standards relating to animal health, also for its own consumer protection purposes.

 

BIH citizens living in border areas were agreed to cross borders with special passes, but without passports, after July 1, 2013. The Republic of Croatia will send a request for maintenance of border crossing regime for BIH citizens, who cross the border with ID cards only, after July 1, 2913.

 

The meeting removed the last impediments for the construction of a bridge near Gradiška, which would facilitate life and business making to local community, as well as to all exporters from BIH. Bosnia and Herzegovina has allocated necessary funds for the construction of bridge, and  received a firm pledge from the European Commission that it will do the same.

 

During the meeting, a special attention was paid to the Municipality of Neum. Bosnia and Herzegovina got guarantees of smooth deliveries to the Neum Municipality through the EU territory, especially concerning specific goods needed by the local community.

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