Councill of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 81 Session

BIH ACEEDS TO EC FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON Ai AND HUMAN RIGHTS 

The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed a Platform for acceding to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy, and tasked the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH to sign the Convention.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH should, after signing of the Framework Convention provide all needed documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for staring relevant ratification procedure.

The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Rule of Law and democracy was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, which decided in Vilnius (Lithuania) to open it for signing on September 5, 2024.

The subject matter and purpose of the Convention is to secure activities within the living cycle of the artificial intelligence to be in line with guaranteed human rights, democracy and rule of law. Each of parties-signatories of the Framework Convention is obliged to adopt certain legislative, administrative and together measures towards the implementation of the Convention provisions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave its support for signing of the Convention, concluding that it was harmonised with provisions of the international law and international rules and standards. Positive opinion to the text Framework Convention was given also by sector Ministries at the State, Entity and cantonal levels, including at the Brčko District of BIH level.

Signing of the Framework Convention, Bosnia and Herzegovina will take over an obligation of passing new and harmonisation of the existing legislation and by-laws for the aim of regulation of the matter.

WORK GROUP FOR LAW DEVELOPEMNT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CER DIRECTIVE OF EU

The Council of Ministers took the Ministry of Security- tabled a Decision on appointment of a work group for development of a draft law on protection and resilience of critical entities in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a new text, within the process of fulfilment of the European Commission recommendations.

The Work Group will gather representatives of the state Ministries of Defence, Civil Affairs, Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Transport and Communications, and Finance and Treasury, as well as those from the Indirect Taxation Administration, Agency for Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange, Directorate for European Integrations, Independent BIH System Operator, and Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

Their task is to develop a Proposal Law on Protection and Resilience of Critical Entities at the BIH institutions level, in accordance the EU relevant regulations (EU Directive 2022/2557-CER Directive), six months from adoption of the decision.

SUPPLEMENT DECISION REMOVED ISSUES FOR BUSINESS ENTITIES

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-tabled decision on Supplements to Decision on conditions for acquiring permission for taking resources out from Bosnia and Herzegovina for the aim of establishment of representation office or business unit abroad.

A founder of representation office or business unit abroad failing to fille a relevant request for getting such permit to an Entity Ministry of Trade before setting up an office, should present a request for registration of resources used for the establishment of such representation office or business unit, within 90 days from this Supplement Decision taking effect.

Mentioned Supplements remove problems with business units operating in line with 1995 Agreement on Labour Employment from Bosnia and Herzegovina Enterprises  having Main Office in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for the purpose of execution of a labour contract in the FR Germany, which enterprises had earlier founded business units, without implementing a procedure called for under 1998 Decision on conditions for gettering a permit for taking resources out from Bosnia and Herzegovina for the purpose of establishment of a representation office or business unit abroad.

ACCREDITATION ADVISORY COUNCIL FORMED

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision on appointment of the Accreditation Advisory council, after the term of earlier appointed members expired in 2020.

The Council got 12 members appointed to a four-year term. Members are representatives from competent State-level institutions and doctors of technical sciences, and Šejla Ališić was appointed the Advisory Council President, on behalf of the Measurement Institute of BIH.

The appointment of the Advisory Council for Accreditation is relevant because of both implementation of legislative obligations of the Institute for Accreditation of BIH and creation of preconditions for development and strengthening of the BIH accreditation system and harmonisation thereof with the EU standards.

NEW COMPOSITION OF BIH-SERBIA JOINT COMMITTEE FOR SCIETIFIC-TECHNICAL COOPERATION

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees-proposed Strategy for Admission and Integration of Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina repatriating to Bosnia and Herzegovina based on an Agreement on Readmission, together with belonging 2024-2026 Action Plan.

The Strategy is a continuation of fulfilment of BIH obligations stemming from the Road Map for Visa Regime Liberalisation to the end of preserving a non-visa regime approved under the Council of Europe Decision of December 14, 2020, and it is also an obligation under the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement. It entails adoption of effective policies for setting up a functional system of admission and integration of BIH citizens returning to BIH based on the Readmission Agreement, effectively, sustainably and on long-term, with a full respect for their rights, and thereby contribute to decrease of the secondary migrations of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Other than its inherent strategic aim, the Strategy goes beyond, and gives a vision, it promotes institutional organisation to deals with other aspects of migration policy referring to BIH citizens and other categories, as applicable, in accordance with vested responsibilities.

A part of the Strategy is the Action Plan, as an implementation document, defining activities to be implemented in 20242026, responsible stakeholders and implementation deadlines. The Action Plan will be revised annually, as appropriate, based on external evaluation, and a new one will be developed for the next mid-term time period.

FOURTH PERIODICAL REPORT ON RIGHTS OF ALL MIGRANT WORKERS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry for Human Right and Refugees-tabled Fourth Periodic Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The ministry for Human Rights and refugees should send the report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH to pass it to the Geneva-based Committee for Protection of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW).

Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only European state ratifying the International Convention on Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which presumes high protection standards of rights of foreign workers, migrants, and pursuant to the Convention, Bosnia and Herzegovina is obliged to report annually to the UN Secretary-General.

A general conclusion oof the Fourth Periodic Report is that the Convention is being implemented continuously at all levels, however challenges remain in view of taking up all standards it implies.

In 2019-2024 time a certain progress was made, which refers to legal and other measures taken by BIH. Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Foreigners adopted in August 2023, harmonised it with two Decrees and two Directives of the European Union, and development of by-laws is in the process.

The 2021-2025 Strategy od Migrations and Asylum was adopted in 2022, which calls for measures and activities towards improvement of the system of overall migrations and asylum management. Same year, the council of Ministers adopted a Rulebook on standards of operation and other issues of relevance for work of centres for admission and accommodation of asylum seekers.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and secured humane and legal conditions of migrants’ accommodation, and the centres operation included engagement of UN and other international organisations.

BIH MIGRATIONS PROFILE ADOPTED

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Security-tabled Migration Profile of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024. Which gives an insight into key trends in migrations.

The Migration Profile suggests that BIH Diplomatic-Consular Offices issued 12,955 visas last year, and 21,261 in 2023, which is a drop for 30.9%. Visas issued at the BIH border were 13 in 2024, and 18 in 2023, thus meeting the EU request for decreased number of visa issuance at the borders.

Zeh Border Police of BIH rejected 2,288 entries to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024, or more for 5.93% relative to 2023, when 2,160 entries were rejected. Also, the number of illegal crossing of the state border of Bosnia and Herzegovina last year was 11,298 and was decreased for 17.19% relative to the year before, when 13.643 illegal border crossings were detected.

Foreigner were approved 14,909 temporary stays in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024, compared to 13,481 in 2023, and 430 permanent residents, 16 less that a year before. There was a continuity as to counties of origin of foreigners who wee approved or extended temporary stay in BIH, and these countries were Turkie, Serbia, Croatia, India, China, Montenegro, and Germany.

An up-ward trend was continued last year as to decisions on expulsion, when 3,177 decisions were taken, more for 23.04% relative to 2023 when total 2,582 decisions on expulsion were taken, which was a growth for 57.63% relative to 2022.

Total 43 annulments of non-visa or temporary stays with a measure of expulsion took place, which is also an increase for 53.57% relative to 2023 when the number was 28.

In the course oof 2024, 33 BIH citizens repatriated, which is less for 73% relative to 2023, when 124 BHI citizens returned, with assistance of IOM. Under IOM Programmes, in time span from 2015 to 2024, 1,663 BIH citizens returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina voluntarily.

In accordance with readmission agreements, total 470 citizens were admitted, relative to 402 BIH citizens in 2023, while under the Readmission Agreement with the republic of Croatia and in the Foreigners’ Affairs Service-implemented procedure 3,049 citizens of the third countries were admitted, which is 28% less relative to 4,264 in 2023.

The Foreigners’ Affairs Service registered total 2,284 illegal migrants in 20, which is less for 26.52% relative to 2023.

Asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina were 324 in 2024, while in 2023 there were 137, or 59.18% more.

MACROECONOMIC INDICES FOR 2024

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information from the Directorate for Economic Planning on trends of macroeconomic indices for January-December 2024, which suggests that, according to preliminary data, a growth trend continues of economic activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the BIH Statistics Agency (BHAS), a real GDP growth in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January-September 2024 was estimated at 2.5%, relative to the same time period year before. Domestic demand (both expenditure and investments) was the main holder of economic growth, which export demand had a negative effect to the GDP growth.

If the GDP trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January-September 2024 is to be viewed according to production approach, it came evident that sectors whose trends were determined by domestic demand represented the main growth leverage. So, increases in services sector (wholesale and retail trade, ICT, hotel and catering industry) gave the most significant contribution to the economic growth. On the other hand, during the reported period, a significant contribution of goods missed due to decreased production within processing industry and energy sector. 

The slowing down of economic activity in countries of the EU and region brought about a decrease of physical volume of industrial production in Bosnia and Herzegovina, pertaining especially to the processing industry. Therefore, according to BAS data for 2024, due to weakening of export demand for BIH products, Bosnia and Herzegovina witnessed a fall of physical volume of industrial production for 4.2% relative to the year ago.

According or official BHAS data, the total retail trade in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January-December 2024 reached a real increase of exchange of 6.4%, and it was KM 17.94 billion and was higher for KM 1,09 billion relative to the year before.

BIH registered about 859.300 employees in 2024, or 0.8% more than the same month year before. In December 2024, registered were 320.000 unemployed individuals, which is 6.6% less than in December year before.

The average net salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina in November 2024 was KM 1,406 and was nominally higher for 7.8% relative to November 203, and if a price increase included, the real growth of net salary was 6.2%.

PIECE OF INFORAMTION ON CUSTOMS INTRODUCED BY USA 

The Council of Ministers of Bih adopted a piece of information on custom tariffs which the United States of America imposed to the erst of the world, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Realtions of Bosnia and Herzegovina should develop, in cooperation with competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, develop a Letter of Intent and send it to the BIH Presidency for further action. The Leter fo Intent will include a list of areas (including, but not limiting to: trade, economy, energy, FDIs, infrastructure, customs relations) in which there is interest for cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Untied State of America on bilateral level. 

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should, within its competences, consider a possibility for starting bilateral consultations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States of America on free trade or defining appropriate customs tariffs, and inform the Council of Ministers accordingly.

Also, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should pass the piece of information on customs the United States of America introduced to the rest of the world, accompanied with conclusions adopted, to the BIH Presidency, immediately upon the adoption thereof.

The piece of information indicates that Bosnia and Herzegovina found itself on the list of countries to which a high customs rates were introduced for export to the USA, and that bilateral data on goods exchange differ considerably, suggesting a need for needed explanations to partners in the United States of America.(end)

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