Based on the Decision of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on drafting the Strategy for the Development of Trade of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2025-2031, and the Decision on the appointment of the Working Group for drafting the Strategy for the Development of Trade of the Federation of BiH for the period 2025-2031, yesterday, 26.06.2025, in Sarajevo, the project process of developing the platform for the Strategy for the Development of Trade of the Federation of BiH began with the first meeting of the Working Group.
By signing the Agreement with the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, the Ministry of Trade of the Federation of BiH tasked the Chamber with ensuring the participation of interested stakeholders, competent federal and cantonal administrative bodies, administrative organizations, local self-government units, civil society organizations, companies from the trade sector, professional institutions, the academic community, consumer associations and employers’ associations in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through working groups, workshops, presentations and public discussions, applying the key principles of drafting strategic documents in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the open coordination model, gender equality, horizontal and vertical coordination of all levels of government in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while taking into account the fundamental principles of partnership, public access and transparency of the process itself.
The purpose of drafting the Trade Development Strategy is to determine strategic directions and the development paths of trade and the domestic market in the Federation of BiH, as a model for the further development of trade and a guiding framework for adopting appropriate action plans related to the development of trade and the domestic market in the Federation of BiH. The fundamental assumption in preparing this document is that restructuring trade can contribute to the growth and development of this sector with positive spillover effects on the economy of the Federation of BiH. In this process, the experience and application of European Union standards, traders’ organizations, their development vision and appropriate trade policy play an important role.
The project for drafting the Strategy set 10 fundamental goals:
The goals of this Project are as follows:
- Show the actual state and trends in trade in the Federation of BiH and, in connection with that, how the market of the Federation of BiH functions.
- Analyze and assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the development of trade and the domestic market.
- Assess the position and role of trade in the economic system of the Federation of BiH (price policy, charges, VAT).
- Assess the adaptation of trade to current trends and future challenges.
- Point out the possibilities of cooperative relations with domestic production through the creation of own brands.
- Propose measures to increase the competitiveness of trade (creation of purchasing groups, membership in international purchasing groups – perhaps the only way to compete with foreign chains).
- Propose measures for the development of retail chains in the Federation of BiH, launching own brands and strengthening supply near places of residence.
- Offer a strategy for the local community’s response to the penetration of foreign retail chains.
- Provide guidelines for trade’s response to increased market liberalization, which intensifies pressure from imported products.
- Provide a proposal for the framework of organizational changes and the trade restructuring program in the Federation of BiH.
