At its 2nd session, held in Sarajevo, the Council of Ministers of BIH took several decisions, in the process of harmonisation of intellectual property regulations with the with the EU legislation, for the reason of further normative regulation and improvement of protection of individual rights in this area.
Upon a proposal of the Indirect Taxation Administration, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision on Implementation of Customs Measures for Protection of Rights of Holders of Trademarks, Decision on Implementation of Customs Measures for Protection of Rights of Holders of Industrial Design, Decision on Implementation of Customs Measures for Protection of Rights of Holders of Copy and Similar Rights, Decision on Implementation of Customs Measures for Protection of Rights of Holders of Origin and Geographic Sign, and Decision on Implementation of Customs Measures for Protection of Rights of Holders of Patents.
This will prevent the procedures implemented by the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH to stand on the way to the movement of goods at the EU external border, after Croatia becomes a full member of the EU, next year.
The session discussed over 55 items of agenda and dealt with over 130 files. The session appointed Miro Džakula as Manager of the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH and Goran Zubac as Manager of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), as the most successful candidates in the public job vacancy procedure.
The Secretariat General is in charge to prepare, within 30 day deadline, an review of the managing staff in Ministries, Agencies and Institutions of the Council of Ministers of BIH.
After adoption of the review, the Council of Ministers of BIH will oblige all managers to act in accordance with legal and constitutional provisions of BIH concerning the ethnic representation, with a focus on all security agencies and the Ministry of Security.
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Action Plan for Addressing the Road Map, prepared by the Directorate for European Integrations.
Competent Ministries and other bodies are in charge to provide electronically, upon a DEI request, data on status of implementation of obligations contained in this Action Plan for the period January 1, 2012 – March 31, 2012.
The DEI will provide the Action Plan for Addressing Road Map to the Government of Republika Srpska, Government of the Federation of BIH and Government of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina for commenst and eventual objections.
The Action Plan contains 29 key measures to be implemented possible by June 2012, and provides for an additional engagement of the Council of Ministers of BIH, Entity Governments and all-level Parliaments competent for specific issues, such as: political criteria, legal system, economic criteria, European standards, judiciary, and freedom and security.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge to inform IFIs on changes of BIH representatives in these institutions, as follows:
the World Bank: Governor - Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda; Alternate Governor – Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Aleksandar Džombić;
the International Monetary Fund: Governor – Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH and Minister of Finance and Treasury Nikola Špirić; Alternate Governor – Prime Minister of the Federation of BIH Nermin Nikšić;
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development: Governor – Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH and Minister of Foreign Affairs Zlatko Lagumdžija; Alternate Governor – Minister of Defence Muhamed Ibrahimović.
The Council of Ministers received Information of the Directorate for European Integrations on the process of IPA programming – Component I for Bosnia and Herzegovina for years 2012 and 2013, as well as on the IPA programming identification phase - Component I for Bosnia and Herzegovina for years 2012 and 2013.
Ministers adopted Information and ordered all relevant institutions of the Council of Ministers of BIH to coordinate with sector Ministries and other institutions at lower level of authority in undertaking all needed steps for a further agreement on and preparation of project proposals.
Competent Ministers are in charge to coordinate without delay all lower level Ministries and institutions in order to take measures to reach agreement on project/sector proposals in the area of transport and energy.
The DEI is tasked for a maximum use of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs capacities for the support in IPA programming coordination and European integrations related coordination with the international community.
The DEI is tasked to define methodologies, in cooperation with lower level institutions to enable an effective programing and agreement on projects.
As at February 17, competent institutions representatives agreed on 16 sector projects; judiciary related projects were agreed on February 22, while transport and energy projects are in the process of being agreed.
The Council of Ministers adopted a Report of the Directorate for European Integrations on activities in implementation of Conclusions on the Assessment of Implications of the Republic of Croatia’s entering the EU.
The Council of Ministers stressed especially a need that all BIH Ministries and other institutions engage fully in order to improve a DEI document titled “Action Plan for Overcoming Consequences of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the EU”, which will be considered at the next session of the Council of Ministers.
Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision on implementation of restrictive measures against Somalia, provided for under the following UNSC resolutions: 733(1992), 751 (1992), 1356 (2001), 1725(2006), 1733(2007), 1772 (2007), 1844 (2008), 1846 (2008), 1851(2008), and 1897 (2009).
By this Decision, Bosnia and Herzegovina gives its contribution to international peace efforts in Somalia, pursuant to the Law on Application of Temporary Measures for Effective Implementation of Mandate the International Criminal Court for Former Yugoslavia and Other International Restrictive Measures.
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