In a meeting held in Sarajevo today with the representatives of the business community, Georg Ziegler, Deputy Head of Unit for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, presented the findings of the 2015 Country Report.
Ziegler praised key positive developments, such as the entering into force of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the broad agreement reached on urgent structural economic reforms set out in the Reform Agenda, adoption of the transport policy and recent start of export of milk and dairy products into the EU. Ziegler however underlined that the country is at an early stage in developing a functioning market economy, and in achieving capacity to cope with competitive pressures within the EU. Strengthening the public administration, improving cooperation at all levels and establishing an effective coordination mechanism on EU matters will be necessary for the country to be able to concretely address the next steps on its EU integration path.
“The government needs to show strong reform commitment by further improving policy coordination and implementing structural measures on economic governance, as well as adopting country-wide sector strategies for transport, energy and environment”, Ziegler said.
The business community, including representatives of foreign trade chambers and municipal development agencies, also discussed the EU’s programme for small and medium-sized enterprises COSME and Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, whose funds are available to BiH.
