At the press conference, the Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari, informed the citizens that she has taken a decision to open official investigations for the protection measures of imports for some products from Serbia.
Minister Hajdari explained to the public that this decision was taken based on the recommendations of the Department of Trade for the import of confectionery products, namely sweets and biscuits imported from Serbia, according to the Code in TARIK H.S 19 05.
She said that she made this decision based on the law on protective measures on imports, article 7, paragraph 3, but according to her this law has not been properly implemented in the past. According to the Minister, Kosovo has a full legal basis to take such decisions when there are unfair imports or unfair trade policies from other countries, in order to protect Kosovo producers from such imports.
"Based on Article 7, paragraph 3 of the Law on Safeguard Measures and Imports, the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, after the recommendation of the Department of Trade and after consulting the Commission for Evaluation of Safeguards Measures on Imports, initiates an investigation into the import of confectionery products, sweets and biscuits imported from Serbia according to TARIK Code HS 19 05. Based on preliminary statistical analysis, products imported into the territory of the Republic of Kosovo are in large quantities and in such conditions are causing or threatening to cause serious harm to local producers of similar or competitive products in the Republic of Kosovo ", said Minister Hajdari.
The Minister also clarified that this decision was taken based on the Law on Safeguard Measures on Imports, which is based mainly on the basic principles of the World Trade Organization and also on international best practices.
She also spoke about statistics, which show that there is an increase in these products entering Kosovo, while Kosovo's exports to Serbia of confectionery products is 1 percent of the total.
"Statistics show that there is an increase in the import of these products imported from Serbia compared to the same period of previous years. During the first nine months of 2021, the import of these products accounts for 29 percent of total imports, compared to the same period of 2020, has increased by 10 percent. "While Kosovo's exports to Serbia for the same period during 2020 and 2021 is only 1 percent of the total exports of these products from Kosovo," said the minister.
According to Minister Rozeta Hajdari, she is always committed to protect consumers and support businesses, respectively to support local producers in order to regulate the local market from unfair trade practices.
Note: Law No. 06/L-040 on safeguard measures on imports stipulates: "This law applies to the application of safeguard measures on imports and protection of domestic producers in cases where they are harmed or threatened for a serious harm by the import of goods which affect market disorder "Thus, in cases of an enormous increase in imports for a certain product compared to the same period of the previous year."
Decision No. 9327-01 for opening official investigation on safeguards measures on imports
