AmCham organized a Conference about Excise on Plastic Bags
Pristina, June 28, 2012- American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo organized today a conference about
the excise in plastic bags which was aimed to bring together relevant actors from Ministry of Finances,
Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Kosovo Customs and trade and plastic bag producing
sector to discuss on the reasons of excise implementation and its implications.
The executive director of American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Arian Zeka stated the importance of the
decrease of plastic bag usage because of its environmental damage, adding that the relevant actors should know
why this decision has been made which increases the financial burden of businesses and costumers.
Advisor in the Ministry of Finances, Mr. Menderes Ibra said that this decision is aimed to protect the environment
through a decrease of the use of plastic bags that are around in environment. The advisor for public relations in the
Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Gezime Hasani and the director of the Department of Environmental Protection, Mrs.
Florije Tahiri, after explaining the negative influence of plastic bags and the importance of the implementation of such
decision, promised that the Ministry is discussing the opportunity of subsidizing companies that use environmental
friendly technology and plastic bag raw materials that have less impact in the environment. The head of the Legal
Department in Kosovo Customs, Mr. Lulzim Rafuna explained the technical and legal aspects of the implementation
of the decision for excise.
Representatives of trading sector expressed their concerns saying that this decision was made without discussions
and are afraid that the application of this excise will increase the financial burden of supermarkets and the trading
sector in general.
Also, it was emphasized that this excise also includes plastic bags used for trash due to a undifferentiated tariff
codes, and this can result in a uncontrollable throw of trash outside the bags. Plastic bag producers said that the
application of this excise will make their job more difficult. Besides a need to continue the discussion, it was a mutual
conclusion that to decrease the use of plastic bags and thus to protect the environment, the plastic bags should be
sold with a minimal price which will consider the burden of costumers and trading companies, especially considering
the high cost of production. To eliminate the opportunity of informal economy, it was proposed that the ministry to
come up with a Administrative Directive which would obligate the sale of plastic bags.