32 AGENDA ITEMS DISCUSSED Read the conclusions from the third joint session of the Council of Ministers of BiH and the Government of Croatia

(Patria) - The Council of Ministers of BiH and the Government of Croatia, at their third joint session held today in Zagreb, discussed 32 agenda items from eight areas.

These areas include: cooperation and assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of accession to the European Union, and cross-border and development cooperation; foreign policy; environmental protection; infrastructure projects; border management, migration, and civil protection; education; labor, social protection, and health; and defense and finance.

The goal of the joint session is:

- To further strengthen and improve good bilateral cooperation based on equality and mutual respect;

- To emphasize the partnership and good neighborly relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia;

- To express the intention and will to resolve open issues in a spirit of friendship, partnership, and mutual respect and trust;

- To strengthen and affirm the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina and foster cooperation in the European spirit.

In line with this, the following was concluded at today's joint session:

EU ACCESSION AND CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

Implementation of the European Partnership Agreement

The Government of the Republic of Croatia congratulates Bosnia and Herzegovina on obtaining candidate country status for membership in the European Union. The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina expresses gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for its assistance in this process and reiterates European integration as its strategic priority.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in agreement with the competent levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are prepared to enhance existing cooperation in the field of European integration. The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina are determined to strengthen their European partnership and, to this end, both sides will commence work within the Joint Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the European Partnership Agreement.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia will continue to provide support through knowledge transfer on European integration, document preparation and legislative alignment, as well as training, workshops, and other forms of cooperation.

European Programs

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the cooperation to date within cross-border programs that contribute to joint economic and general development and create conditions for strengthening competitiveness and realizing cross-border development potential.

In the programming period 2021-2027, the allocation for the Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation program "Croatia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro," financed by European funds and national resources, has nearly doubled compared to the previous period. It now amounts to 117.6 million euros and these funds are intended for project areas such as research, innovation and entrepreneurship competitiveness, climate change adaptation, sustainable and inclusive tourism and culture, along with environmental protection, energy efficiency, and public health development.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina are determined to strengthen cooperation between Croatian and Bosnian and Herzegovinian partners by implementing projects from the program's priority areas in cooperation and agreement with the competent levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This aims to strengthen the partnership between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in areas of common interest, create new opportunities for development, coordinated action, strengthening and development of institutional capacities, and generally, to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Utilization of EU Funds

The Republic of Croatia will provide support to Bosnia and Herzegovina through knowledge transfer, strengthening human capacities, and the institutional framework for implementing a clearly defined regional policy, more successful utilization of European funds, and more efficient implementation of regional policy.

The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds of the Republic of Croatia will be responsible for implementing activities within this cooperation.

FOREIGN POLICY

Diplomatic Training

Building on the successful cooperation to date, the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina emphasize their mutual readiness to strengthen cooperation in the field of diplomatic training.

This particularly applies to the exchange of participants in educational activities organized by organizational units responsible for diplomatic service training, as well as inviting and participating in thematic training, workshops, and other forms of diplomatic development. To this end, both sides express their intention to utilize all opportunities for existing cooperation and their readiness to further develop it.

International and Regional Initiatives

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the cooperation to date within international and regional organizations, initiatives, and processes, and confirm their readiness for mutual cooperation to enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue its alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union. Cooperation within international and regional organizations, initiatives, and processes contributes to strengthening stability and security, meeting the criteria for European Union membership, and economic development, which is in the common interest of our countries.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina pay special attention to the further development and strengthening of transnational cooperation such as the Mediterranean, Euro-MED, Adrion, Panoramed programs, and macro-regional cooperation in the Adriatic-Ionian and Danube regions.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia congratulates Bosnia and Herzegovina on its successful presidency of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the Republic of Croatia's assumption of the presidency. The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina remain committed to continuing dedicated cooperation within these regional frameworks.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The session discussed the construction of a Radioactive Waste Management Center at the Čerkezovac site in Trgovska Gora and the impact of the "Gornji Horizonti" project on the Neretva River basin, in the spirit of good friendly relations between the two countries.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Reconstruction of the Brčko - Gunja Bridge

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the signing of the Agreement on the Reconstruction of the Bridge at the Gunja - Brčko border crossing, which will create conditions for initiating all necessary activities related to the Brčko Bridge Reconstruction Project (BiH on M14-1) - Gunja (HRV on DC214).

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina congratulate the Joint Working Body on the successful work done in harmonizing the text of the Agreement and give full support to further cooperation until the final realization of the Brčko - Gunja Bridge Reconstruction Project.

Construction of New Bridges

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative to conclude an Agreement on Cooperation for the project of constructing new bridges over the Sava River at the Brčko (BiH) - Gunja (HRV) border crossing and the Orašje (BiH) - Županja (HRV) border crossing.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a joint working body that will, based on conducted analyses, examine the economic and commercial need and justification for the construction of new bridges.

The joint working body is obliged to submit a report on the conducted activities and a proposal for a solution regarding the construction of new bridges, if deemed justified, or a negative opinion otherwise, to the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina within six months.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina have agreed that the construction of new bridges remains in the long-term cooperation plan of both countries, and the decision on construction will be made based on the report of the joint working body.

Okučani - BiH Border Section

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the successful completion of the construction of the International Bridge over the Sava River near Gradiška.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia will task Hrvatske ceste d.o.o. to ensure, within their capabilities, the fastest possible completion of the connecting expressway from the border bridge over the Sava River to the Novi Varoš interchange, with a connection to the DC5 state road, so that the constructed bridge can be put into operation, thereby improving traffic connectivity between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Reconstruction of the Novi Grad - Dvor Bridge

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the preparation of the Agreement on the Reconstruction of the Novi Grad (BiH) - Dvor (HRV) bridge on the M14 (BiH) expressway and DC6 (HRV) state road.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or a joint working body, to expedite the process of preparing the Agreement and to have it ready for signing within three months.

Mostar - Široki Brijeg - Grude - BiH/HRV Border Expressway

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the Project for the Construction of the Mostar - Široki Brijeg - Grude - BiH border (Gorica) / HRV (Donji Vinjani) - Imotski - Zagvozd expressway.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with Hrvatske ceste d.o.o. and JP Autoceste FBiH, to discuss and agree on the connection point of these expressways at the border of both countries within 30 days.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a joint working body that will initiate all necessary activities and actions for the preparation of all necessary agreements to realize the project of connecting the mentioned expressways at the border of both countries.

Jajce - Bihać - Kladuša - BiH/HRV Border Expressway

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the Project for the Construction of the Jajce - Bihać - Kladuša - BiH/HRV border expressway.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a joint working body that will initiate all necessary activities and actions for the preparation of an agreement on cooperation for the construction of the mentioned expressway.

"Southern Interconnection"

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina give strong support to a project of strategic importance for both countries, which will ensure diversification and security of natural gas supply for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina call on the responsible levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the relevant institutions to significantly accelerate their activities, thereby creating prerequisites for concluding an agreement on the construction of the "Southern Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia" gas pipeline.

Digital Infrastructure

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the initiative to prepare a Memorandum of Cooperation in the area of developing secure digital infrastructure, developing public digital services, and the digital transformation of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the institutions of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Reconstruction of the Posušje - Aržano Road

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative to conclude an Agreement on the project for the reconstruction of the Posušje - Aržano road, section Vir - Pazar Ažano border crossing.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a joint working body that will initiate all necessary activities and actions for the preparation of an agreement on cooperation for the reconstruction of the Posušje - Aržano road, section Vir - Pazar Ažano border crossing.

Construction of the Glamočani, Banja Luka - Croatia Border Highway

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative to conclude an Agreement on Cooperation for the project of constructing the Glamočani, Banja Luka - border of the Republic of Croatia (Kamensko) highway.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a joint working body that will initiate all necessary activities and actions for the preparation of an Agreement on Cooperation for the project of constructing the Glamočani, Banja Luka - border of the Republic of Croatia (Kamensko) highway.

International Railway Transport

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative to re-establish international railway transport on the Ploče - Čapljina - Sarajevo - Zagreb - Sarajevo - Čapljina - Ploče route.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to appoint a joint operational body within 30 days, which will prepare a study on the possibilities of realizing and establishing international railway transport between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina within 60 days.

Una Railway

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative for the renovation and modernization of the Una Railway and the re-establishment of international railway transport on the Una Railway.

In accordance with the Joint Initiative of the competent ministries of May 11, 2017, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina are tasked with appointing a joint operational body within 30 days to examine the possibilities of realizing and establishing international railway transport between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Šamac - Slavonski Šamac Railway Border Crossing

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiative to conclude an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on establishing border procedures for the Šamac - Slavonski Šamac (North) and Čapljina - Metković (South) railway border crossings on Corridor Vc.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will task the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina to appoint a joint operational body within 30 days for the preparation of the necessary agreements.

Technological Interoperability

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Republic of Croatia support the technological integration of toll collection systems, which will make the use of the highway network more efficient, reduce waiting times for toll payment, and generally improve the level of service for users.

The highway operators from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia are tasked with forming a joint body to analyze models for ensuring technical interoperability of toll collection.

BORDER MANAGEMENT

Migration and Asylum

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the strengthening of mutual relations and deepening of cooperation in police matters between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the area of migration management.

Civil Protection

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, respecting the constitutional competencies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, support the strengthening of mutual relations and deepening of cooperation in the field of civil protection through the transfer and exchange of expertise, best practices, and lessons learned in the organization of operational forces of the civil protection system of the Republic of Croatia in responding to natural disasters and fires.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina expresses gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for the international assistance provided to date in extinguishing fires throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia, as before, is prepared to provide necessary assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in fighting fires during the summer period.

Border Management

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the initiation of negotiations and the conclusion of a new agreement between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on border crossings, which would include newly constructed border crossings, with the possibility of reclassifying some of the existing border crossings.

The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia will continue to provide intensive support and assistance to the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Border Police to establish quality cross-border cooperation and exchange of expertise, all with the aim of helping Bosnia and Herzegovina establish integrated border management.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with their constitutional competencies, call on the institutions responsible for phytosanitary inspection to harmonize their working hours to enable smooth traffic of goods at border crossings.

Border Traffic

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirm that the Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Border Traffic from 2013 is being applied with exemplary bilateral cooperation, to the benefit of residents living in border areas. This facilitates their border crossing and daily lives, as well as those who enjoy certain privileges of the border regime.

This agreement, which is an example of good practice in implementing EU standards and rules regarding border traffic, has retained its value and is well implemented even after the Republic of Croatia joined the Schengen area.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will undertake additional activities within their competencies to facilitate the crossing of the common state border during the summer period throughout the entire border area.

EDUCATION

Higher Education Diplomas

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Republic of Croatia call on the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of BiH and the Agency for Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Croatia to intensify cooperation for the purpose of evaluating higher education qualifications from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republic of Croatia.

LABOR, SOCIAL PROTECTION, AND HEALTH

Labor and Employment

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support cooperation in the field of labor and employment and welcome the initiation of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Croatian Employment Service and the Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with entity employment services and the Employment Service of Brčko District BiH, in the area of the labor market and employment, to strengthen mutual relations between the two countries and exchange positive experiences in the field of the labor market and employment.

Social Protection

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the strengthening of mutual relations and deepening of cooperation between the competent institutions of the Republic of Croatia and institutions within Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of social protection.

Emergency Medicine

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the principles of equality, reciprocity, and mutual benefit, support the close cooperation to date in the field of emergency medicine and, in this regard, invite the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and the competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to take the necessary actions regarding the conclusion of appropriate agreements and implementing acts.

DEFENSE AND FINANCE

Defense - Military Education

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the strengthening of mutual relations and deepening of defense cooperation in the field of education between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina will take the necessary actions regarding the conclusion of an agreement between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning the education of officials of the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina and members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina at military educational institutions of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

Search for Missing Persons

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina support the cooperation to date and confirm their full commitment to intensifying the implementation of the Protocol on Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Search for Missing Persons, concluded in Sarajevo on July 7, 2017, as well as continuing cooperation within regional mechanisms, to resolve the priority humanitarian issue of missing persons.

Taxation

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina give full support to the continuation of mutual administrative assistance in preventing tax evasion and strengthening mutual cooperation in tax matters between the Tax Administration of the Republic of Croatia and the tax institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.