BiH and EU meet on Transport, Energy, Environment and Regional Development

A Sub-committee Meeting on Transport, Energy, Environment and Regional Development between the representatives of the EU and BiH took place on 23 and 24 May 2013 in Sarajevo. The level of transposition of the acquis in these areas into BiH legislation was discussed, as well as the sectoral strategies that BiH has to develop in order to benefit from EU financial assistance under the second phase of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II).

The Delegation of the EU emphasised the high importance for BiH to agree on country-wide strategies for the transposition, implementation and the enforcement of the EU legislation and standards, above all in the very complex areas of environment, transport and energy. As examples, the environmental impact assessment and waste and water management, road safety issues and the gas legislation were discussed in detail. Effective and efficient coordination will be needed above all for the implementation, by the various authorities, of the EU requirements. This does not prevent the other levels of government from adopting strategies at their respective level. The adoption of related laws in BiH would bring the country forward in its European integration and reform process.

The Delegation of the EU reiterated that the agreement reached in November in Brussels by the three Ministers in charge of electricity at the State level and the two Entities on the country-wide operating electricity transmission company TRANSCO should urgently be implemented and that any funds from dividends, net profits or similar should be distributed to the two shareholders only after sound investment plans have been agreed upon and set up based on reliable audits. The Energy Community might need to launch an infringement procedure against BiH, if this issue remains unsolved and this with a view to ensuring the security of the supply of electricity across BiH to the benefit of the citizens and the BiH economy. Such a measure could put into question the readiness of external stakeholders to make investments in this sector in BiH.

Europa.ba