Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 19th Session

14 STRATEGIC AIMS FOR MORE DEVELOPED, COMPETITIVE AND DYNAMIC ECONOMY 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a Strategic Framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2015-2018, upon a proposal of the Directorate for Economic Planning, which is a kind of strategic aims portfolio to guide preparation of a Mid-Term Work Programme of the Council of Ministers.

The Council of Ministers of BIH wants Bosnia and Herzegovina to be institutionally developed, competitive, featuring dynamic economy benefitting from broader possibilities to achieve sustainable economic growth, with more and higher quality jobs and stronger social cohesion, based on development of appropriate skills and business environment, which, according to the Strategic Framework, is attainable though 14 strategic aims.

The Strategic Aims are: macroeconomic stability; improvement of competitive economic environment; human resources development; increase of industrial competitiveness; promotion of cultural and creative sectors; balanced regional development; improvement of environmental protection  and development of environmental infrastructure, with increased resilience to climate change effects; faster and more effective agricultural and rural sector development; development of energy generation capacities; especially the renewable sources of energy and increase of energy efficacy; increased employment prospects;  promotion of educational inclusiveness; poverty reduction and improvement of social inclusiveness; improvement of health care; accelerated transition process; and capacities development.

 

MORE FUNDS TO DRAW FROM EU HORIZON AND CREATIVE EUROPE FUNDS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted separate reports on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Commission Framework Programme for Research and Development – Horizon 2020, and Creative Europe, with proposal activities targeting better success, and tasked the Ministry of Civil Affairs for their implementation.

Bosnia and Herzegovina pays EUR 205,000 annual fee for membership in the Creative Europe, of which amount 90% comes from IPA funds, and 10 % from the BIH Budget; in 2014 BIH participants drew 2.5 times more money from the Creative Europe, i.e. total EUR 520,150.00

In order to increase funds withdrawal and to improve success of applications to the EU Creative Europe Programme, based on other countries’ experiences, a Coordination Desk was set-up in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the EU Creative Europe Programme in 2015-2017. With a full consideration of distribution of competences in BIH, the desk is to cooperate with lower level authorities’ respective desks. Other than promotion of the Creative Europe Programme, the desk will assist cultural and creative sectors concerning the programme, provide information on different models of support  available though this EU Programme, and will incite cross-border cooperation among professionals, institutional platforms and cultural and creative sectors networks.

To secure improvement of success of BIH participation, the Ministry of Civil Affairs will, within the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020, continue the existing cooperation with the Directorate for European Integrations of BIH and EU Delegation in BIH, especially in the part pertaining to funds provision for contributing to membership fee in the Programme.

According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, six BIH institutions managed to draw EUR 577,507.00 from the Programme by the end 2014, paying simultaneously EUR 1.4 million of membership fee, secured from IPA funds in 90% share and from the BIH Budget in 10% share.

The session emphasised a need for additional education so that the research and academic community of BIH would draw more funds, as the full budget of the Programme is EUR 79.5 billion.

Therefore, the Ministry of Civil Affairs set-up a state contact points system (National Contact Point), comprised of a national coordinator and contact officer for thematic priorities of the Horizon, who are engaged voluntarily at projects preparation and implementation.

Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Horizon 2020, opened to the research and academic community of BIH numerous possibilities, such as a full participation in all horizontal and vertical Programme activities, including a Joint Research Centre (JRC)  and Marie Curie Action (Researchers Mobility Programme).

 

USD 200k GRANT FOR DRINA MANAGEMENT REGIONAL PROJECT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a proposal resolution on ratification of Grant Agreement of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) for preparation of the Drina River Basin Management Regional Project, worth USD 200.000,  between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as implementation agency of the Global Environment Fund.

This will strengthen capacities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro for planning and implementation of integrated, corporative international management of the Drina River Basin, and will solve the issue of adjustment to climate changes in the river basin.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide the proposal resolution to the BIH Presidency for further ratification procedure.

 

TO BOOST COOPERATION IN TOURISM ON UNWTO PRINCIPLES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined proposal basics for adopting amendments and supplements to the Statute and its Annex (Financing Rules) of UN-established World Tourist Organisation (UNWTO).

This will intensify and strengthen cooperation in tourism on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, in compliance with the World Tourist Organisation principles. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will provide the proposal basics to the BIH Presidency for further procedure.

 

SEED AND MERCANTILE POTATO WITHOUT PESTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, a report of the Phytosanitary Administration on implementation of special supervision programme (systematic control) of quarantine pests to potato in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014.

The report indicates that in the analysed samples of produced seed and mercantile potato in BIH in 2014, no quarantine pests were traced.

For all potato deliveries in which quarantine pests were found, phytosanitary inspectors banned the import and issued orders for deliveries sending back to the exporters, simultaneously intensifying deliveries control in import from the countries where pests were detected.

Last year total 621 samples were analysed, which is 164 samples more than originally planned.

 

FOOD CONTROL SEES PROGRESS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the ninth report of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on realisation of a Road Map, aimed at creation of conditions for export of products of animal and herbal origin.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should cooperate with all competent institutions in the Entity, cantonal and Brčko District respective food safety chains, continuing realisation of the remaining, still unrealised Road Map activities.

According to the report, a progress was evident in certain areas in intervention between two reporting periods, especially in the part relating to preparation for transposing of EU regulations on food, as well as for creation of conditions of export of potato, milk and dairy products to the EU market. However, there are a considerable number of activities to take in the future period in order to fully implement food safety requirements, in line with the EU “field to table” system standards.

The road map contains 13 activities to be taken by competent institutions in BIH, Entity, cantonal and Brčko District food safety chain.

 

BIH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE’S KM 412k FOR TAKING CARE OF NON-SERVING SOLDIERS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Defence, on realisation of a grant for implementation of the Programme of Transition and Taking Care of Released Staff of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina “Perspective 2015”.

The Council of Ministers granted its consent to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to transfer Budget funds via the Single Treasury Account to the Ministry of Defence, based on the signed decision.

The Ministry of Defence is tasked to fill in a the final report on realisation of the grant funds for implementation of the Program of Transition and Taking Care of Released Staff of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BIH “Perspective 2015”.

According to the decision, the Ministry of Defence received KM 412.000 for the Programme implementation.

 

TO SOLVE ISSUE OF FIRED BIH WORKERS IN REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AT HIGHEST LEVEL

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on activities undertaken for finding solution to labour-legal and welfare status of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, employed in the Republic of Croatia and in 1991-1995 period fired.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked to renew highest level discussions with Croatian officials on this outstanding issue for Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to jointly arrive at mutually acceptable solution.

Information points at continuous futile attempts by BIH competent institutions to make an understanding with the Croatian side at the expert level, while a large number of affiliates of two associations gathering ex-workers from Croatia, are still in total social exclusion.

Workers’ associations from Tešanj and Banja Luka indicate that about 60,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina had worked in the Republic of Croatia, but got fired in 1991-1996 period of time.

 

BIHCoM ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF DISABLED PERSONS

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Activity Report of the Council for Disabled Persons in BIH for 2013 and 2014, in addition to recommendations for improvement of implementation of strategic and action documents treating the disability problem at all level authorities in BIH.

The report contains 11 general recommendations and 14 measures concerning the protection of disabled persons, to include the issues of housing, health care, education, labour market, needed statistics, and support to families tending disabled persons.

 

BIH-EU TECHNICAL CONSULTATIONS ON AGRICULTURE

 

The Council of Ministers Adopted information of the Directorate for European Integrations on technical consultations, and resultant conclusions, on agriculture and fishery, held between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Banja Luka on June 25-26, 2015.

The meeting considered activities on regulations harmonisation and development of institutional capacities in agriculture and rural development, fishery and phytosanitary policy, food safety and veterinary activities. A special attention was paid to establishment of an effective chain of command in the official human and animal food control system, in preparation of strategic rural development plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and protection of geographic origin marks of agricultural food and vine.

The Delegation of the European Union commended activities taken by BIH institutions which led to approval of export of potato and heat treated milk from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union.

 

MEMBERS OF BIH ARMED FORCES AND POLICE IN PEACE MISSIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report on participation of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and police officers in peace support mission in the time between January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015, which the Ministry of Defence will provide to the Parliamentarian Assembly and BIH Presidency.

The Council of Ministers of BIH proposed that the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH assess as justifiable and approve continuation of participation of the BIH Armed Forces and police officers in peace support mission, as follows: In UN peace mission in DR Congo; in Un peace mission in the Republic of Mali; in NATO-led “Decisive Support” mission in Afghanistan; in UN peace mission in Liberia for 11 police officers, with a possibility of the contingent redeployment to UNMISTAH mission in Haiti; in UN peace mission in South Sudan, i.e. in Abeui for 30 police officers with a possibility of the contingent enlargement; in UN peace mission in Cyprus for eight police officers, with a possibility of the contingent enlargement.

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