Preparatory meeting of the “Bulldozer” Committee

Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays yesterday chaired a meeting with  some of BiH’s most successful business leaders and foreign investors in preparation for the first meeting of the “Bulldozer Committee”, which was launched by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown to dismantle the barriers to business growth and job creation.

The goal of the meeting was to identify the main obstacles, legislative changes that will make business activities more successful. He outlined that Bosnia and Herzegovina must become competitive quickly and needs to generate domestic growth to turn itself into an export economy over the next few years. He reminded that the task ahead is to identify the roadblocks that stand in your way so that they can be knocked down.

The meeting discussed the main problems:  double taxation, the fact that companies registered in one entity are treated as foreign companies in another, the requirement that companies operating across BiH have to file two corporate tax returns.

The OHR will now work up “roadblock package” of micro reforms to business laws and regulations in both entities that would simplify and harmonise the regulatory environment, making it easier for companies to invest and create jobs.  This will be put to the first meeting of the Bulldozer Committee in the next ten days.