A meeting of representatives of different levels of institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina that make the Cooperation Network for Post-Investment Support to foreign investors in BiH was held on 14 December 2016 in Vitez.
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At the meeting it was proposed a work plan of
the Cooperation Network in 2017, and it was summarized the implementation results
of the Post-Investment Support to Existing Investors in BiH in 2016. Proposals of
reforms for improving the business environment were also proposed in order to
overcome investment barriers identified in BiH through visits to companies and
talk with investors.
The Post-Investment Support to Investors, through
the Cooperation Network, is a key component of the investments promotion and
one of the way to capitalize efforts of all levels of governments to attract
domestic and foreign investment in order to stimulate local economic
development in BiH.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Agency of BiH
(FIPA) in cooperation with 19 municipalities and cities, 7 cantons, Brčko
District of BiH, the Government of FBiH and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and
Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been implementing successfully
for fourth years the Program of Post-Investment Support to Existing Investors
based on the Cooperation Network. Institutions at all levels of governments
cooperate in resolving outstanding issues faced by investors in their business.
The World Bank Group, with financial support from the Government of the United
Kingdom, within the projects of "Improvement of the Investment Climate and
Access to Markets - ICAM" and "Attracting Investments and Improving
the Business Environment at the Local Level in BiH - LIFE", provides
technical assistance to the Cooperation Network, which will continue in 2017.
Teams composed of institutions from different levels
of governments visited so far in 2016 38 companies, including small, medium and
large companies, which have so far invested 243.6 million BAM and employed 4.373
workers, out of which 23% is related to the workers taken over through
acquisitions and privatization, while 77% or 3.368 are relating to new jobs. Among
38 visited companies, 30 of them or 79% are production-oriented companies from sectors
of the textile and leather, metal, food, electrical, chemical, wood, auto and
energy, while the rest is related to companies from the service sector, trade ,
ICT and tourism, in total, 21%.
81.6% of visited investors are planning new
investments amounting to over 49.9 million of EUR, which is 20% more compared
to invested resources so far, which will result in creation of 1.694 new jobs. This
represent an increase of 39 % compared to the currently employed workers.
In the coming months, FIPA will prepare the Report
on the results of the Post-Investment Support Programme in 2016 proposing
reforms to improve the business environment in BiH. It will submit this Report to
the Council of Ministers of BiH for adoption and forwarding to the entities’
governments and Brčko District for implementation.
In the 2017, the Cooperation Network will expand its activities through involving
new municipalities, cities and cantons, increasing the number of companies which
will be supported under the Programme. They will be expanded through continuation
of mutual intensive cooperation between all levels of governments on resolving
outstanding issues for investors, with the aim to retain existing investors and
to support their reinvestment, as well as attracting new investors.