Presentation by the Director of the Energy Community Secretariat to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH on the implementation of BiH's commitments towards European energy integration

Artur Lorkowski, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat based in Vienna, gave a presentation in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina entitled 'Implementation of the Energy Community Treaty – position of Bosnia and Herzegovina'.

The presentation, which offered an overview of current activities, as well as an assessment of the implementation of contractual obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was attended by MPs and delegates of both Houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, representatives of other state institutions from the energy sector (Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, State Electricity Regulatory Commission, BiH Directorate for European Integration, Independent System Operator in BiH), representatives of entity parliaments, governments and ministerial departments, as well as representatives of international organizations providing support to institutions in BiH at all levels in the field of energy.

The presentation was opened by the Chair of the Committee for Foreign and Trade Policy, Customs, Transport and Communications of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Safet Softić, who, thanking Director Lorkowski and everyone for attending and participating, emphasized that the energy sector, i.e. the energy transition are the most significant segment of the overall economic and social transformation in the direction of the green economy.

Emphasizing that Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken significant international obligations in terms of energy transition, Softić noted that the implementation of the assumed obligations is not taking place with the necessary and desired dynamics, while new obligations are continuously coming, such as the case of the cross-border carbon adjustment tax, the establishment of the emissions trading system and the entire structures related to it.

According to Softić, meetings of this type are an opportunity to get an objective view from an impartial authority on the current situation of our country in terms of fulfilling international obligations in the field of energy and the fight against climate change. Mentioning the Growth Plan, which the European Union has offered to all countries in the region, Softić said that any further delay and slowing down of reforms means further stagnation of economic development, falling behind the developed world, but also the departure of young people and, as he said, many other unintended consequences.

The Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, Artur Lorkowski, assessed that Bosnia and Herzegovina made moderate progress in the implementation of the Energy Community Agreement in 2023, but also noted that the institutions of BiH still have a lot of work to do, especially when it comes to passing the necessary legislation, the decarbonization process and the issue of implementing the green agenda. Lorkowski congratulated our country on the progress it made on the European path, which resulted in the decision of the European institutions to approve the start of negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. In particular, he spoke about the missing legislation and the key role of the BiH Parliament in the implementation of the energy and climate acquis.

The debate, which followed the presentation, was attended by Members of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry and Elektroprivreda of BiH. It has been estimated that Bosnia and Herzegovina can decarbonize by 2050, but that our country needs to have access to European Union funds in this area, as well as the help and support of the Energy Community.

The presentation was concluded by the Chair of the Committee on Transport and Communications of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Jasmin Imamović, who also thanked the Director of Lorkowski and all the participants of today's event, saying that the tasks facing our country are not difficult and impossible, but noted that everyday work is required for their implementation, with the support of the Energy Community and the European Union funds for decarbonisation and green transition. (end)