Yesterday, the European Commission adopted its 2010 Enlargement package. It comprised a Strategy paper, the Opinions on the membership applications by Montenegro and Albania and seven Progress Reports on the other candidate countries and potential candidates, including on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the handover of the 2010 Progress Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Mr Nikola Spiric and the presentation to the BiH media, the report was today presented to the members of the NGO Council and Business community by Mr. Boris Iarochevitch, Chargé d´ Affaires of the European Union Delegation to BiH and Ms. Simona Gatti, Deputy Head of Unit for BiH, DG Enlargement. 

Mr Iarochevitch thanked all NGO Council members and other civil society organisation for their contribution to the consultation process that proceeded BiH 2010 Progress Report drafting. Mr. Iarochevitch said:"Consulting NGOs is an indispensable element of the preparation of the Enlargement package by the European Commission. Consultations add to the better insights on rule of law, protection of human rights and quality of democracy in BiH as well as how to address key reforms issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina". 

Some 30 representatives of civil society and NGOs attended the presentation and seized the opportunity to put forward their views and questions on the findings of the Progress Report. They mainly focused on the failure to comply with the European Court of Human right´s ruling, the consequences of being in breach of the Interim Agreement, Annex 7, education and needs of Roma people.

The Progress Report was also presented to the representatives of Business Community from both public and private sector. Discussion focused on Progress Report Economic criteria, notably the existence of a functioning market economy, and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the European Union. 

Other specific aspects of the economy that are of interest to the business community, such as movement of goods, people and capital; customs and taxation; competition policy; public procurement; intellectual property; industrial policy; agriculture; environment; transport; and energy were also discussed. The meeting addressed issues such as public administration, the judicial system, and anti-corruption policy, which are of direct interest to the business community.