Council of Ministers Holds its 20th Session

The Council of Ministers of BIH accepted an initiative of he Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic relations for launching a procedure for adoption of a Law on Supplements to the Law on Excises of Bosnia and Herzegovina, pertaining to freeing from excises and road levies for diesel fuel (blue diesel) for the use in primary agricultural production. 

The Initiative of the Council of Ministers will be submitted to the Managing Board of the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH in order to implement amendments of relevant laws and other legal regulations all with an aim to assist agricultural produces.

In this way, the Council of Ministers of BIH wants to aid the agricultural sector, with a view to increase its competitiveness in a foreseeable future and to increase Bosnia and Herzegovina’s foreign exchange with CEFTA and European Union counties in agricultural  and products and foodstuffs.

The Council of Ministers of BIH accepted a Proposal by the European Commission for the European Union to regulate the derogation of its acquis referring to the transit of goods of herbal and animal origin from the Ploče Port, and assigned the Veterinary Office and BIH Office for Protection of Herbs to cooperate with EC representatives in this matter, i.e. to agree the list of goods of herbal and animal origin to transit in and from the Ploče Port.

In this way, the Council of Ministers of BIH launched a legal procedure for signing of a non-amended Interpretative Declaration offered by the Croatian side once the EC regulation is adopted.

The Council of Ministers of BIH demands inclusion of BIH representatives in all activities at development of a feasibility study concerning the Neum Corridor.

The Council of Ministers of BIH proposed that the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH and Presidency of BIH consider all aspects and possibilities of continuation of a ratification process for a Treaty on State Border between BIH and the Republic of Croatia.

The competent institutions are tasked to accelerate their activities on construction of Bijača - Pozla Gora border crossing.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will propose its representative into a committee for integral border management of which the Council of Ministers of BIH will be informed subsequently.

The adoption of such conclusion followed after the adoption of Information of the State Committee for Integral Border Management on September 10, 2012 trilateral meeting of representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and European Commission on border management in Brussels.

The information with the its conclusion will be provided to all competent authorities included in the integrated border management process, and special negotiating teams will be set-up, as appropriate, for specific areas.

The information, among other things, specifies that Croatia expressed its readiness for the construction of a third inspection border crossing (Broder Inspection Point) at Izačić-Ličko Petrovo Selo location, when all necessary conditions are met.

Representatives of BIH and the Republic of Croatia agreed to continue their bilateral talks on modalities of phyto-sanitary control at border crossings (Županja – Orašje, Donji Viljani – Gorica, and Ivanica – Gornji Brgat), which, as agreed, will constitute an integral part of the Treaty on Border Crossings.

The Council of Ministers of BIH confirmed a Proposal on basics for negotiations for conclusion of a Protocol to Transitional Agreement on Trade and Trade Issues with the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union. The Directorate for European Integrations will provide the proposal basics to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda was proposed as the BIH signatory.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and Directorate for European Integrations will agree the composition of the BIH delegation for the negotiations and their proposal will be provided to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Protocol will regulate trade concessions for agricultural, food and fishery products, and technical adjustment of the Transitional Agreement on view of rules of origin and administrative cooperation. This is an important matter since the 2006 CEFTA Agreement provides that Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia enjoy a preferential non-customs regime in respect to trade with agricultural and industrial products, which is different from the regime in effect between BIH and the European Union based on the transitional Agreement.

The Aim of the Protocol is to include, to the extent possible, these trade concessions into all the provisions of the Transitional Agreement, in which the BIH delegation will take due care of interests and protection of domestic production.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Foundations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Ministry of Justice will provide the Proposal to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH, with an aim to encourage establishment of foundations as non-profit non-governmental organisations, through which a number of relevant projects would be implemented in the areas of human rights, ecology, culture and social welfare.

The adoption of the Law would separate the issues of registration of foundations from that of associations which were regulated under a single piece of legislation.

Under the Proposal Law, the foundation is defined as a voluntary non-governmental and non-profit organisation without its affiliation, which aim is to manage certain property in the general public good and voluntary aim or in private interest, which was not forbidden by the Constitution or laws in force.

The least amount of basic property necessary to establish a foundation is KM 2,000.00, while the least amount of property necessary for the establishment of an association to realise a private interest is KM 20,000.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers of BIH   took a decision to form a Coordination Body of Bosnia and Herzegovina for protection and rescue from natural and other catastrophes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would be an expert and operational body of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Coordination Body, to be managed by Mladen Čavar, Deputy Minister of Security of BIH, will be comprised of representatives of State and Entity Ministries, and Government of the Brčko District Government.

Other than its function of coordination of operations and use of forces and means of protection and rescue in case of a natural or other catastrophes in BIH, this body will also to the Council of Ministers of BIH prevention measures.  Also, I would coordinate activities of extending international assistance to BIH citizens abroad affected by natural or other catastrophes.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on amendment of Decision on Adoption of Telecommunication Sector Policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2008- 2012, with additions adopted at the session.

According to the Decision, the introduction of new virtual mobile BIH operators (VMNO) to telecommunications market in BIH will be regulated under a new BIH Telecommunications Sector Policy for 2013-2017 period.

In this way a needed time is allowed before the introduction of VMNO in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a detailed analysis of its effects to the existing markets.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH took individual decisions on establishment of a Board for Roma Population within the Council of Ministers of BIH, and on appointment of members of the Body.

Under the decisions, the Board is in charge to consider the issues contained in the Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Solving the issues of Roma, including the implementation and proposing activities for a more effective implementation of the decade of Roam Inclusion by 2015.

The 22-member Roma Board includes representatives of the State Ministries for Human Rights and Refugees, Finance and Treasury, Civil Affairs. Security, Justice, Directorate for European Integrations, Agency for Labour and Employment, Agency for Gender Equality, Entity Governments and Brčko District of BIH Government, as well as 11 representatives from registered Roma associations in BIH.

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on allocation of KM 2,950,000 for solving the issue of Roma in the areas of employment, housing and health care for 2012, as proposed by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees.

Under the decision, two million KM will be spent for housing needs of Roma, KM 710,000 for employment and KM 210,000 for health care, in addition to KM 30,000  for data up-date on needs of the Roma population in BIH.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Civil Affairs of BIH, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to adopt a Policy of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina with an aim at promotion of health services and rights in connection to sexual health and rights.

The adoption of the policy represents a significant step forward in development of a long-term plan documents essential for the promotion and protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The policy is an outcome of a long-years cooperation between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Federation of BIH, Government of Republika Srpska, Government of the Brčko District of BIH and Office of Population Fund of the United Nations.

(end)