Sjednice
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 53rd Session
06/27/2024
The Council of Ministers of BIH requested the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH to provide urgently to the Council of Ministers a proposal solution to legal issue concerning a file “Viaduct”, Ltd. Portorož, Vladimir Zevnik and Boris Goljevšček vs Bosnia and Herzegovina in connection to implementation of the ISCID Committee decision.
The piece of information will contain a review of obligations of the Council of Ministers of BIH, for the purpose of mitigating adverse consequences to the BIH Institutions budget and for future steps as to implementation of obligations stemmed from earlier signed-to agreements between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Republic of Srpska, under which Republika Srpska committed to pay all costs of this arbitrage procedure.
Another piece of information was requested from the Chief Attorney’s Office in connection to legal solution to other arbitrage procedures, including procedure of claimant Pramod Mittal and others against Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning investment to Global Ispat Cox Industry (GIKIL), Ltd. Lukavac, for which the Governments of the Federation of BIH and Tuzla Canton refused earlier to sign an agreement obliging them to secure funds for this arbitrage procedure.
The session reiterated obligations of the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH in terms of protection of property and property interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
SUPPORT TO ECONOMY: ISSUE SOLVING OF LIMITATION OF DRIVERS’ STAY IN EU
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the state Ministries of Security and Foreign Affairs to take activities with competent EU bodies for excepting drivers from BIH from a limitation of stay in territory of the European Union.
The session adopted earlier a piece of information from the Ministry of Communications and Transport about the issue of limited number of days of stay in territory of the European Union, based on Decree 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and Council on stay of citizens of third countries in territory of EU, which does not provide for exemptions.
The limitation of stay of drivers in territory of the EU to 90 days at longest in period of 180 days makes carrying out transport tasks even more complicated and has adverse impact to the whole economy of BIH, indicate communications by the BIH Foreign Trade Chamber and BIH transporters addressed to the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH.
Solving of this outstanding issue is important for the whole region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has about 72% of goods exchange with the European Union, and more than 90% of its international road transport.
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION AND DECREASE OF CUSTOMS RATES: INCREASE OF INVESTMENT AND EXPORT
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-tabled report on application and effects of a Decision on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs rates on import of certain goods by Dec. 31, 2023.
The Council of Ministers of BIH took total 12 decisions on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs rates on import of certain goods until the Law on Customs Tariffs takes effect. Goods which the decisions refer to include materials and raw materials used by domestic producers in their own production and which cannot be procured at domestic market in qualities and quantities required for production of final products.
This way, a more favourable and competitive business making by economic entities is enabled, reflected in revenue and investments growth, with increased employment, and improved production and export.
The most of economic entities, benefitting from the decisions are in wood processing industry, electro, graphic, chemical, metal-processing industries, further in food processing industry, and textile, leather and footwear industries, in addition to furniture producers.
The decision application resulted in a considerable growth of investments, reaching KM 210,660,468.35 last year, relevant to KM 105,557,000 in 2022, while export by these companies increased, despite global crisis, for more than KM 33 million.
GENDER EQUALITY: STEERING BOARD FOR MONITORING GENDER ACTION PLAN
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees-proposed decision on setting-up a Steering Board for Coordination and Monitoring of Gender Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina (GAP BIH) for 2023-2027, with corrections made at the session.
Director of the Agency for Gender Equality of BIH Samira Filipović-Hadžiabdić was appointed Chairwoman of the Steering Board, and members will be Directors of the Gender Centre of the Federation of BIH and of Gender Centre – Gender Equality Centre of Republika Srpska Ana Vuković and Mirjana Lukač, respectively.
PART OF SPECIAL-PURPOSE FUNDS MAY BE EARMARKED TO IT SOCIETY
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Communications and Transport-proposed decision on Amendment of Decision on licences for use of radiofrequency spectre for service provision through mobile access systems.
The session took a decision on Supplement to Decision on distribution of funds collected for use of radiofrequency spectre for service provision through mobile access systems.
These decisions will enable the special-purpose funds to be used in IT society, with earlier defined transport and communications, by which BIH fulfils its obligations in respect to development of broadband access to Internet, as one among key aims stemming from an Agenda for Digital Europe, thus increasing quality and accessibility of communication services in BIH.
DECREASED NUMBER OF LEGAL TEAM MEMBERS FOR TRGOVSKA GORA
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed Decision on Amendments of Decision to Appoint Legal Team for development of strategy for legal protection of interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning disposing of radioactive waste and depleted nuclear fuel at the Trgovska Gora site, thus decreasing the number of team members.
The legal team continues to work without its two members, Vitomir Popović, Deputy Chair, and Nedim Ademović, a member, while Dragoljub Reljić, member, was appointed Deputy Chair.
The Amendment was made after the Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to start, together with the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH, a process of selection of international law team for legal counselling in connection with cross-border proceeding.
BIH AND SERBIA BOOST COOERPATION IN AREA OF SPORTS AND YOUTH
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed Decision to appoint representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina to a Common Board for Monitoring of Implementation of a Memorandum on Cooperation in Sports and Youth Policy between the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia.
Today appointed representatives of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Entity Ministries of Culture and Sports and of Family, Youth and Sports, respectively, and the Brčko District of BIH Division for Economic Development, Sports and Culture, together with representatives of Serbia, will monitor implementation of the Memorandum, by which the two states strengthen their cooperation in the area of sports and youth.
RULEBOOKS FOR OFFICIAL VEHICLES FOR SPECIALISED PURPOSES
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted severally consents to a Proposal Rulebook on conditions for procurement and use of official vehicles for specialised purposes intended for the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH (ITA BIH) and Proposal Rulebook on official vehicles for specialised purposes for the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety.
These Rulebooks prescribe rights, obligations and use of the official vehicles for specialised purposes by employees.
The total number of official vehicles at disposal to ITA BIH is 368, most of passenger motor vehicles of a lower class (326) of minimum procurement price of KM 50,000.
Under the Rulebook of the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, five vehicles were included, of which three of KM 30,000 procurement price, used for inspection surveillance in the area of radiation and nuclear safety, in the Agency centre and its Banja Luka and Mostar offices, and two vehicles of KM 60.000 procurement price; one is used for transport of radioactive material and for other extraordinary situations, and the other is used for official purposes, including welcoming of foreign delegations.
PIECE OF INFOMRMATION ON BIH PARTICIPATION IN HORIZON EUROPA PROGRAMME
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023 Horizon Europa Framework Programme of the European Union for Research and Innovations.
According to the piece of information, two current grants by the Ministry supported total 49 projects last year. The Programme for preparation of projects and potential candidate projects from the Horizon Europa Fund supported 28 projects in total amount of KM 440,000, while 123 projects were supported within Support to Technical Culture and Innovations in BIH with amount of KM 117,000.
The European Commission up-dated information, covering project evaluation results for calls opened to April 2023, indicate applicants from BIH submitted 293 applications in 2021–2023-time span, of which 234 satisfied legal-formal criteria.
BIH applicants signed grant contracts for 29 projects, and EUR 5,229,953 was allocated, which points at an increase of BIH applicants’ participation int the Programme. The project evaluation for calls opened after April 2023 is on-going.
The Horizon Europa is a key European Union financing programme for research and innovations, with EUR 95.5 bill. Budget. (end)
Photography:
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