The Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro and the Regional Chamber of Economy of the Zlatibor Administrative District, organized the regional conference “WASTE – A RESOURCE for the development of the circular economy” on 8 and 9 December. The event brought together participants from the public, private and civil sectors, who exchanged knowledge, experience and ideas in the premises of the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro on improving sustainable waste management and developing circular solutions in the region.
Regional cooperation as a key driver of change
Opening the conference, the President of the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirsad Jašarspahić, emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge among companies in the region, reminding that “knowledge is the only commodity that increases when it is shared.” He stressed that companies increasingly recognize the circular economy as an opportunity to increase competitiveness, especially those that are part of global supply chains.
“Our goal is for the companies we represent to make profits while protecting the environment in which they operate as much as possible. In order to maintain and improve their positions on the European market, it is necessary to meet the highest standards when it comes to environmental protection,” Jašarspahić said. He added that the regional approach creates strong synergy among companies and that openness and exchange of experience are key to creating the best solutions.
Transformation of the waste sector – an opportunity for the economy
The Vice President of the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro, Dragan Kujović, emphasized that Montenegro is in an intensive phase of alignment with the requirements of Chapter 27 and that this represents an opportunity for the development of a modern waste management system. He assessed that efficient resource management, extended producer responsibility and process digitalization are key prerequisites for strengthening the competitiveness of the economy.
The representative of the Regional Chamber of Economy of the Zlatibor District, Ana Lapčević, pointed out that such events strengthen awareness of the importance of the circular economy, while Lana Radunović, acting Director General of the Directorate for Ecology, said that the countries of the region share a common vision in which waste is a development potential that can generate innovation, new jobs and economic growth.
Focus on innovation, practices and alignment with EU standards
Through panel discussions and expert sessions, the conference promoted the circular economy as a modern and sustainable development model, while considering topics such as:
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the state and challenges of the utility sector in transition;
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improving waste management and extended producer responsibility;
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efficient use of secondary raw materials;
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packaging and electronic waste and regulatory obligations;
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composting and barriers in the region;
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application of innovative technologies and artificial intelligence.
The Secretary of the Coordination Board for Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection of PKCG, Milena Rmuš, presented the topic of alignment with EU standards through the CRM framework and moderated a panel on secondary raw materials as the basis of new value chains.
The general partner of the conference was GIZ, whose representative Jelena Peruničić emphasized the importance of connecting business and enabling regional circulation of recyclable materials in line with European regulations.
Signed memorandums and presentation of good practices
Within the conference, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Regional Chamber of Economy of the Zlatibor District, and the companies SCE Technology Sarajevo and Smart City Technology Serbia.
Examples of good practices were also presented from the companies SCE Technology, ZEOS d.o.o. (Slovenia), Nakić (Croatia), Alicorn (Montenegro) and Uniwab recycling technologies.
