„This project we are launching today with a contribution of the EU should in the next two years help BiH to fulfil the necessary obligations for trade agreements. We are happy that this project has now started and will focus on building capacities, which means that experts will come to BiH and train local experts, especially the ones from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and prepare them to be skilled negotiators”, said Johann Hesse, Head of Operations Section for Economic Development, Natural Resources and Infrastructures at the EU Delegation to BiH.

The kick-off conference of the project at the Delegation of the European Union in Sarajevo gathered more then 50 international and domestic experts. The 2 million euro project is financed by the European Union from the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) 2008 funds, supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing relevant policy reforms including the area of foreign trade. The implementation of the CEFTA agreement at the regional level and the process of becoming a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are important steps in the right direction of EU integration for BiH. „We are launching a new project and our main goal is to support Bosnia and Herzegovina and, more specifically, the main beneficiary Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in drafting and implementing a coherent and strategic trade policy” said Carmen Frattita, Team Leader of EU TPP2 project.

„This project will enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to prepare for the race on the world trade market”, said Midhat Salić, Assistant Minister at the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations. He also added that all the countries on their way to the EU have had such projects which are assisting them to significantly increase their competitiveness.