BOSNIA TO HAVE UNIFORM TARIFF SYSTEM AS OF MAY 15

SARAJEVO, Apr 22 (Hina) - The Bosnia-Herzegovina Council of Ministers on Thursday decided the application of a privileged customs treatment of goods imported from Croatia would be discontinued as of May 15. Council deputy chairman Neven Tomic told reporters the decision was in keeping with a Bosnian Presidency decision of two days ago to cease enforcing the extant agreement on trade cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia. The Presidency decision will be discussed by the Bosnian Constitutional Court, but that will not delay its enforcement, he added. Reminding that Bosnia's Serb entity cancelled a similar agreement with Yugoslavia on February 5, Tomic said the decision to discontinue the agreement with Croatia in practice meant the start of the application of uniform tariffs throughout Bosnia. Tomic also announced the establishment of expert groups which should discuss a new draft Croatian-Bosnian trade agreement, which the Croatian side has already submitted. The agreement in question has been adjusted with World Trade Organisation (WTO) and European Union standards. The expert teams should list products and consider the level of protection to be applied in the import of certain goods. Tomic reminded the final text of the Croatian-Bosnian agreement should be based on the two countries' joint commitments to access the WTO, which means that at least 80 percent of trade should be conducted liberally. (hina) ha