On 12 June 2008, Dirk Lange, Head of Unit for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina within the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement attended the 12th session of Reform Process Monitoring (RPM) which took place in Banja Luka. The issues discussed at the plenary session of the RPM were reconciliation and regional cooperation, strengthening of administrative capacity, visa and border management, fight against organised crime and corruption and judicial system. The assessment was also made on the progress related to, information society and media, education, research and social policy.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Lange said that the issues related to judiciary and security, addressed at the meeting, would be further monitored through the dialogue on visa regime liberalisation. He reminded that BiH’s signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement on Monday (16 June) in Luxembourg was a crucial step for BiH on its path to the EU and pointed out to the importance of the moment to accelerate the passage of laws and their harmonisation with the EU legislation. “This meeting was an opportunity to assess the progress in BiH, to exchange the views, what will be included in our progress report”, said Mr. Lange and emphasized that progress was made in certain areas.
The Director of BiH Directorate for European Integration Mr. Osman Topčagić said that BiH would face a progressive harmonisation of the EU legislation with the domestic one and consistent implementation of the Agreement (SAA), in order for the country to meet all obligations in a six-year transitional period. “Should we want to move quickly towards candidacy status, and I believe we all do want, we need to meet the obligations arising from the SAA and priorities set out in the European Partnership”
The first task and duty, according to Mr. Osman Topčagić, would be the establishment of a new customs regime: “This is the first specific task and obligation which we are supposed to meet and implement from the SAA. New customs duties shall be applied to the imported goods from the EU.”
Responding to a journalist’s question on further existence of the Office of High Representative in BiH, Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas, Head of the European Commission Delegation in BiH stressed that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement was only one of the preconditions for closing down the OHR.
Tomorrow, as part of his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Lange will visit the Forensic Department within the RS Ministry of Interior in Banja Luka, and attend the inauguration of Euro-Info Centre as well as the official opening of the World Rafting Cup.
