Agreement on customs stamps “important to ordinary citizens”

The agreement on customs stamps reached in the sixth round of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is very important, EU facilitator Robert Cooper has said. He added that the agreement was particularly important from an ordinary citizen’s standpoint. Agreement on customs stamps “important to ordinary citizens” “The customs stamp is important for anybody in Kosovo who makes products which they want to export either to Serbia or through Serbia. For the last three years that has not been possible because the Serbian government didn't recognize the Kosovo customs stamp," the EU facilitator stressed on Friday. “A month ago, the Kosovo government introduced an embargo on delivery of goods from central Serbia as a result of the slow pace of negotiations on customs stamps, which eventually ended in a mutual trade embargo,” said Cooper. “These two embargoes will now be lifted. That is good for regional trade. That makes the region look more European,” he pointed out. Cooper noted that the job did not end, as negotiators would have to broach technically and politically complex questions of telecoms and electricity networks in the talks that should continue later in September. He said that the EU was committed to facilitating the development of cooperation in Europe and the region, which wanted to become part of the Union, so it had to be sure everyone was involved in all aspects of future cooperation. The EU said the agreement was a significant step ahead in improving regional relations and facilitating freedom of traffic of goods in line with European values. Under Friday's agreement, customs stamps will be marked "Kosovo Customs," without any symbols, allowing Serbia to trade without having to recognize Kosovo’s independence. A deal was also reached to lift the mutual trade embargo within seven to eight days. Robert Cooper

Agreement on customs stamps “important to ordinary citizens”

“The customs stamp is important for anybody in Kosovo who makes products which they want to export either to Serbia or through Serbia. For the last three years that has not been possible because the Serbian government didn't recognize the Kosovo customs stamp," the EU facilitator stressed on Friday.

“A month ago, the Kosovo government introduced an embargo on delivery of goods from central Serbia as a result of the slow pace of negotiations on customs stamps, which eventually ended in a mutual trade embargo,” said Cooper.

“These two embargoes will now be lifted. That is good for regional trade. That makes the region look more European,” he pointed out.

Cooper noted that the job did not end, as negotiators would have to broach technically and politically complex questions of telecoms and electricity networks in the talks that should continue later in September.

He said that the EU was committed to facilitating the development of cooperation in Europe and the region, which wanted to become part of the Union, so it had to be sure everyone was involved in all aspects of future cooperation.

The EU said the agreement was a significant step ahead in improving regional relations and facilitating freedom of traffic of goods in line with European values.

Under Friday's agreement, customs stamps will be marked "Kosovo Customs," without any symbols, allowing Serbia to trade without having to recognize Kosovo’s independence. A deal was also reached to lift the mutual trade embargo within seven to eight days.