JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Representatives of the European Commission and Bosnia and Herzegovina

institutions met in Brko on 8 and 9 February 2011, to discuss the level of
approximation of the country in the fields of transport, energy, environment and
regional development with EU rules. Progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in
its European Integration process depends on the country's fulfilment of the
requirements of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU,
amongst others in those areas. At the end of the very fruitful and constructive
meeting, the European Commission made the following recommendations:
The European Commission reiterated the importance of the adoption of countrywide strategies in the fields of transport, energy and environment and to further
align the legislation of the country with EU rules and standards.
The European Commission criticised the continuous lack of a country-wide law on
the transport of dangerous goods. The European Commission welcomed the
positive results in the implementation of the Interim Agreement with regard to
transport to the benefit of trade of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European
Union.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was encouraged to make more efforts in the
construction of the European Transport Corridor Vc between Metkovi in the south
and the area of amac in the north in order to match the target year 2017 for its
finalisation.
Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed with the Commission to carry out soon a review
of the electricity legislation applicable in the country in the light of the
requirements of the Energy Community Treaty and the SAA.
The temporary solution of the reliable supply of the Brko District with electricity
at best market prices and under economically reasonable conditions, i.e. without
further public subsidies, was much welcomed.
The European Commission regrets the failure of Bosnia and Herzegovina to adopt
the Law on the Environmental Protection and to establish the Environmental
Agency. The participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in regional and international
fora regarding environment protection was welcomed, as well as the increased
participation of the civil society in this area.
The European Commission offered its assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in
order to increase its capacities and to define a regional development strategy in
line with the EU requirements deriving from the SAA, as the precondition for the
availability of EU funds for infrastructure, above all in the transport and
environmental sectors.