Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 72nd Session

BIH FOREIGN TRADE ANALYSIS FOR 1-3Q 2013 ADOPTED 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade Economic Relations on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Trade Exchange for January – September, 2013.

According to the Analysis, the total volume of foreign trade exchange for January – September this year was KM 17.44 billion, KM 145 million more relative to the same period last year.

The goods imported in 1-3Q, worth KM 11.5 billion, were 2.31 per cent less tat in the same period in 2012, while total exports worth KM 6.29 billion marked a 6.96 per cent increase in the same period. So, trade deficit fo KM 4.85 billion is less for 12.17 per cent relative to last year. The coverage of import by export was 56.4 per cent, or 4.89 per cent more than in the same period last year.

The European Union is still our main foreign trade partner and in total volume of exchange of goods it participates with 65.60 per cent, followed by CEFTA countries with 12.47 per cent share, while 21.93 per cent share belongs to other counties in the total volume of exchange. Among major individual trade partners, the largest coverage of import by export is with Austria with 132.95 per cent, Slovenia 89.2 per cent, Germany 77.73 per cent, Italy 69.11 per cent, Croatia 63.45 per cent and Serbia 50.89 per cent.

The Analysis shows that positive trends in foreign trade exchange from the first half of 2013 were continued in the quarter 3, too. This trend is expected to continue by the end of the year. This positive trend was not affected by the exit from CEFTA and joining the EU on the part of our major foreign trade partner Republic of Croatia.

 

MORE THAN KM 380,000.00 CURRENT GRANT ALLOCATIONS

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Council of Ministers took a decision on allocation of KM 130,000.00 from the current grant for co-financing of the “Support to Technical Culture and Inventions” Projects for 2013 to 29 entities. A decision was taken also on allocation of KM 25.200,00 to 14 entities-applicants for the “Programmes for Preparation of Projects and Potential Candidates for EU-FP7 Funds” for 2013.

 

SEVERAL PROPOSAL AGREEMENTS DEFINED

Upon a proposal of the Public Administration Reform Coordinator Office, the Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Addendum IV to the Memorandum of Understanding, with negotiation basics, for establishment of a Public Administration Reform Fund between the UK Department for International Development, Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency, Ministry for Development and Cooperation of the Netherlands, Delegation of the European Union in BIH and Council of Ministers of BIH, Government of the Federation of BIH, Government of Republika Srpska, Government of the Brčko District of BIH and Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH.

The Addendum IV to the Memorandum provides for an investment of additional funds into the Public Administration Reform Fund. So, a new donor will be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, to invest about EUR 3.76 million into the Fund.

In line with signed.to Addendum III to the Memorandum, the amount to be allocated to the Fund by the Council of Ministers of BIH, Government of the Federation of BIH, Government of Republika Srpska, and Government of the Brčko District of BIH from their own budgets will be specified in their respective decisions. The Proposal Addendum IV will be sent to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda is proposed as the BIH signatory.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of BIH and Ministry of National Defence of the People’s Republic of China on Free Military Assistance of the People’s Republic of China for Bosnia and Herzegovina in amount of CHY 8 million.

The Ministry of Defence will provide the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of BIH, and Defence Minister Zekerijah Osmić is proposed as the BIH signatory, and an additional proposal was made to have  the Agreement provisionally applied until its final ratification.

The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Bilateral Treaty attached to the European Convention on Extradition of December 13, 1957 for the purpose of facilitation and extension of tis application, to include a possibility of extradition of a country’s own nationals. The Ministry of Justice will provide the Proposal Contract to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Justice Minister Bariša Čolak is proposed as the BIH signatory.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Finance Agreement on Preparation of Preservation and Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones in Western Balkans for 2012 between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Commission, with basics for its conclusion.

A part of the EUR 3 million worth programme is intended for Bosnia and Herzegovina and it includes a single project: the Kastel Fortification Reconstruction, Phase II – “Cultural Centre with Accompanying Services”. The maximum contribution of the EU for this project is EUR 1,130, and the Delegation of EU in BIH will manage the project.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Director of the Directorate for European Integrations Nevenka Savić is proposed as the BIH signatory.

The Council of Ministers defined proposal basics for negotiations on a Protocol on Cooperation in Education between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Turkey, which includes the exchange of experts, lecturers and students and development of partnerships between schools and institutions for the purpose of developing joint programmes and student activities.

Simultaneously, the two states will each year allocate fellowships for language courses, higher education and research, taking regard of requirements and capabilities.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs will provide the Proposal Basics to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Minister Sredoje Nović is proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

DIGITALISATION PROJECT-RELATED DECISIONS AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Council of Ministers of BIH decided to amend a Decision on inclusion of public broadcast services digitalisation project into the multi-year capital investments programme for 2011-2014.

According to the Decision, KM one million will be allocated from the BIH Institutions Budget for 2014 for the public broadcasters digitalisation, while KM six million will be secured from the accumulated surplus revenues of the Communications Regulatory Agency of BIH.

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