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2. Which way to Europe? |
Last week a meeting of the executive board of the Cattle Breeders
Association [STOFO] occurred. Nobody knows how many times it
has been stated that in Serbia there is no livestock market
without exports. It was anticipated that the authorities would
create some favorable conditions for the export of cattle and
meat products to the EU.
"Many problems regarding the export of meat to the EU remain
unsolved", said Milan Njegomir, manager of STOFO, "mainly because
responsibilities are not well established on neither the Federal
nor the Republican level, the Federal and Republican Ministries
of Agriculture are simply passing these responsibilities back
and forth instead of forging an agreement determining who would
be responsible for executing EU demands and, which of the above
institutions is responsible for negotiations with Brussels.
At this point, one year after the lifting of sanctions, the
former Federal Ministry of Agriculture couldn't meet even the
basic technical conditions for the export of these products.
In my opinion it is necessary to form suitable inspection services
which will guarantee the health condition of cattle and the
quality of the meat destined for export.
Of course, it is understood that this also includes the complete
liberalization of the export system and, the liquidation of
quotas because exporters already have enough financial difficulties
in paying the 5% value of future exports, in advance.
On the other hand, foreigners, though interested, are not likely
to invest in Serbian slaughter houses, because quotas and limited
export potential means that they are not allowed to freely export.
I prefer to see the return of the minimum export price system,
which has been eliminated by the Federal Ministry for Foreign
Economic Relations at the end of 2000.
As far as processing plants are concerned, we've received a
positive response from Brussels that the EU still recognizes
the export licenses for three plants ['Mesokombinat', Leskovac,
MIP, Pozarevac and 'Srem' - Sid], all of whom have huge financial
problems - some aren't even in operation. My suggestion is to
form an commission of veterinary and sanitary experts, to educate
and advise some other processing plants as well in order to
allow them to meet the demands of the EU affordably and, become
eligible to export beef."
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Source: Ekonomist Magazin, Number 96, 25 March 2002, "Hej, haj,
bas nas briga..." by Nadezda Vodenicar |
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