CCIS: The Government in Pristina continues to violate the principles of free trade

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) strongly advocates for the freedom of movement of people, goods, services, and capital as a prerequisite for economic growth, attracting foreign investments, and improving the region's competitiveness. It welcomes the announcement regarding the lifting of the ban on the entry of products from Serbia into the Kosovo market, as written in a statement published on the CCIS website.

The statement further emphasizes that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia considers the decision incomplete, as it only allows the placement of domestic goods through the Merdare crossing, which still puts Serbian companies in a discriminatory position.

"By continuing the ban on the placement of goods in Kosovo at other crossings, the Government in Pristina continues to violate the principles of free trade, which directly contradicts the CEFTA agreement, which obligates Kosovo to ensure the free movement of goods, as well as the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the European Union. The continuation of the ban at other crossings does not contribute to the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and is not in the spirit of creating a common regional market as envisioned by the Berlin Process. To date, this has caused Serbian companies losses exceeding 280 million euros, measured solely by unrealized placements," the CCIS states.

Finally, the statement points out that in order to fully ensure a positive environment for entrepreneurs from both business communities, alongside the complete cessation of the ban on the import of finished products, other remaining issues must also be addressed, such as the numerous non-tariff barriers.