Monitoring EU integration process

Parliamentary EU-integration committees

In order to coordinate EU integration issues, including legal harmonisation, the Parliaments of BiH has established specialised EU integration committees:

Parliamentary Assembly of BiH
Joint Committee for European Integration (consisting of representatives and delegates of both Houses) - VISUALIZATION

The Committee to deal with EU integration was established already in 2003. The creation and operation of the Joint Committee on European Integration of the two Houses is a specific institutional solution for a coordinated approach by both Houses. The responsibilities of the Joint Committee on European Integration are laid down in the Rules of Procedure for each House: Article 57 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives (HoR) and Article 51 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Peoples (HoP). According to the Rules of Procedure Joint Committee for European Integration (JCEI) considers issues in relation to:

• discussion on general issues related to EU integration;
• monitoring of the implementation of BiH’s rights and obligations arising from international treaties in view of Council of Europe membership; 
• coordination of work of working bodies related to the EU integration and submitting opinions, recommendations and warnings to these bodies; 
• analysis of the impact of integration strategy for BiH and drafting of comprehensive reports; 
• supervision of the drafting of the feasibility study and monitoring of the implementation of the pre-accession (Stabilisation and Association Process) and accession strategies of BiH; 
• supervision of the harmonization of BiH legislation with the acquis communautaire  (applicable EU legislation) when the Committee meets all the requirements;
• cooperation with institutions of BiH, institutions of the EU and other countries related to integration issues;
• organization of the public opinion debates on integration issues; 
• collection, archiving and systematic presentation of information by Committee members regarding the EU;
• supervision of the use of funds allocated by the EU;
• consideration of other issues related to EU integration.

The Committee is a joint body of the two Houses composed of 12 members, six from each house. The committee is presided over by a Chairperson, who has two deputies; all three coming from different constituent peoples. The Committee has two staff members (civil servants).

The legal framework for the Joint Committee on European Integration in relation to the EU pre-accession process ensures the legal base for any future extension of competences and actions. The Committee holds its meetings on a bi-monthly basis and always with the participation of representatives of Directorate for European Integration (i.e. civil servants from a governmental body). The conclusions of the Joint Committee meetings have no binding effect. 
 

Parliament of the Federation of BiH
Committees for European Integration of House of Representatives and House of Peoples of PFBIH

The PFBiH House of Representatives (HoR) has a Committee for European Integration, established under Article 59 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives. Similar committee has been established in the House of Peoples in 2015. 
Based upon an informal agreement, the HoR Committee for European Integration is composed of the Chairs of the HoR party caucuses and the HoR Collegium, a total of 11 members and is chaired by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
A special decision on establishment of the Committee on European Integration of the House of Peoples (HoP) no. 02-05-1293/15 details its structure. 
The membership of the Committee for European Integration of the House of Peoples is established identically, composed of the Speaker, and of members of the collegium of the HoP.

The competences of the HoR Committee on European Integration according to Article 59 of the HoR Rules of Procedure, include:
• monitoring the alignment of BiH and FBiH legislation with EU standards;
• considering issues related to European integration and their relationship with governmental authorities in BiH;
• monitoring the exercise of the FBiH rights and responsibilities which stem from international treaties related to BiH’s path to the EU;
• analyse BiH EU integration strategy activities and EU negotiations;
• participate in drafting of feasibility studies relating to BiH’s road to the EU;
• establish/implement cooperation with EU integration committees/bodies in other parliaments in BiH and abroad;
• cooperate with BiH institution, such as the Directorate for EU Integration, on BiH-EU activities;
• organize presentations of public opinion on BiH’s road to the EU;
• collect and systematically communicate EU information to the Committee members;
• discuss information on EU funds allocated to BiH;
• discuss information of the developments of BiH negotiations with the EU.

The competences of the HoP Committee on European Integration include:
• considering issues related to European integration and their relationship with governmental authorities in BiH; 
• monitoring the alignment of BiH and FBiH legislation with EU standards; 
• establish/implement cooperation with EU integration committees/bodies in other parliaments in BiH and abroad in accordance with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Constitution of the FBiH;
• monitoring the exercise of the FBiH rights and responsibilities which stem from international treaties related to BiH’s path to the EU;
• analyse BiH EU integration strategy activities and EU negotiations;
• participate in drafting of feasibility studies relating to BiH’s road to the EU;
• cooperate with BiH institution, such as the Directorate for EU Integration, on BiH-EU activities;
• organize presentations of public opinion on BiH’s road to the EU;
• collect and systematically communicate EU information to the Committee members;
• discuss information on EU funds allocated to BiH;
• discuss information of the developments of BiH negotiations with the EU;
• any other relevant issues.

Both Committees’ meetings are convened on an as-needed basis.

Committee for European Integration of the House of Representatives and Committee for European Integration of the House of Peoples of PFBiH
 

National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
Committee on European Integration and Regional Cooperation of NARS

In the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, the European Integration and Regional Cooperation Committee is the body with competence to deal with EU integration affairs. Pursuant to the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the Committee considers the issues related to:

• follow-up and alignment of the Republika Srpska legal system with the EU legal system,
• consideration of draft laws and proposals of laws by means of which, pursuant to the tasks of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska stemming from the EU accession process, the alignment of the legal system with the legal system of EU is carried out,
• consideration of the Table of Concordance of drafts or proposals of legislation with EU acquis, the Statement of Compatibility of legislation drafts or proposals with EU acquis, and the Opinion of the Republika Srpska Government on the level of compatibility of drafts or proposals of legislation with the EU acquis.
• consideration of agreements entered into by the Republika Srpska and states or international organizations with consent of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• monitoring of EU assistance and cooperation programs   
• consideration of international relations and regional cooperation and political and economic developments of special interest for Republika Srpska, 
• monitoring and operations of representations and representatives of Republika Srpska abroad,
• monitoring of proportion of representatives from Republika Srpska in the missions of Bosnia and Herzegovina abroad,
• establishing and maintaining of cooperation with parliaments of Serbia and Montenegro, pursuant to the Constitution, 
• establishing and maintaining cooperation with parliaments of provinces, regions, countries of the region, other countries and institutions of EU, 
• establishing cooperation with relevant organizations and foundations from Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, with the purpose of approximation of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU integration process.

The Committee is composed of nine members: Chair, Deputy Chair and seven members. The Chair, Deputy Chair and five members of the Committee are elected from amongst MPs in the NARS. In line with the Rules of Procedure there are also two external members who are not MPs - one of them was proposed by the ruling party and the other one by the opposition).

The usual frequency of committee meetings is the same as the frequency of plenary sessions, meaning that usually there is one committee meeting before the start of one session. In practice the Committee is convened altogether 10-12 times a year. In addition, extraordinary meetings are organized if needed, for instance when important reports are published relating to EU integration issues, the Committee may gather between the parliamentary semesters.

NARS Committee on European Integration and Regional Cooperation

Brčko District Assembly
European Integration Committee of BDA

In Brčko District Assembly, the Committee on European Integration was established in March 2013. With its seven members, it is the biggest among BDA’s committees, representing all political parties of BDA. 

According to the Rules of Procedures the Committee on European Integration competences include the following:

• discuss general issues related to the EU integration;
• monitor the implementation of rights and duties of the Brčko District BiH as a result of the international treaties related to the EU integration;
• deliberate draft laws and other acts used, pursuant to the obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina resulting from the process of accession to the EU, to perform approximation of the Brčko District legal system to the legal system of EU;
• cooperate with the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (in particular, with the Directorate for European Integration), the institutions of EU and other countries on issues related to integration;
• oversee utilisation of funds awarded by the EU to the Brčko District institutions;
• perform other activities stipulated by the Rules of Procedure and the decisions of the Assembly.

BDA European Integration Committee