Hauliers continue blockades: Concrete demands and deadlines before BiH authorities

“We demand concrete and measurable results, not declarative promises. Negotiations must be transparent, inclusive, and urgent, because every further delay deepens the crisis in supply chains and threatens the economic stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said the carriers gathered in the Logistics BiH Consortium.

Key sector demands

The carriers are calling for an urgent session of the Council of Ministers of BiH with a single item on the agenda – adoption of measures to implement the first phase of the transport sector’s demands. Among the most important points are:

• Refund of excise and fuel duties to hauliers, based on a model aligned with EU practice.
• 50% discount for the use of highways and express roads.
• VAT refunds from European Union countries through bilateral agreements and digital mechanisms.
• Fiscal relief in both entities, the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska.
• Acceleration of border and customs procedures to reduce hours-long waiting at terminals.
• Amendments to the Rulebook on conditions for issuing licenses and driver qualification cards, including lowering bureaucratic barriers and introducing digitized procedures.
• Fiscal relief and customs procedures

The statement notes that refunding excise duties and VAT could reduce operating costs in the sector by 17 to 25 percent, thereby increasing the competitiveness of domestic companies.

The Consortium is also demanding the digitalization of customs procedures, elimination of double fees, uniform procedures at all terminals, and the introduction of a so-called “green lane” for faster processing of documents and goods.

The demands also include unified inspection protocols, coordination of inspections with the Indirect Taxation Authority, as well as mandatory inspector working hours aligned with terminal operations, including on-duty teams during holidays.

Proposed changes to the rules on issuing licenses and driver qualification cards include:

Digitalization of the process and introduction of e-licenses.

Reduction of excessively high fees.

Alignment with EU standards and IRU Academy certificates.

Establishment of “Centers of Excellence” as hubs for driver training and education.

The Consortium emphasizes that the current Platform represents the minimum demands that must be met in order to open the way for lifting the blockades and resuming dialogue with the authorities.

“Enough is enough! We demand results, not promises. Our sector is the lifeline of BiH’s economy, and without rapid alignment with EU standards, domestic carriers will lose competitiveness and jobs,” the statement highlights.

Negotiations, they stress, must be public, with clearly defined deadlines and responsibilities for all involved institutions.