NALED Supported the Improvement of Inspection Oversight in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The roundtable discussion “Improving Inspection Oversight: Project Results and Their Significance for the Business Community,” held today in Sarajevo, officially marked the completion of the project “Support for Strengthening the Capacities of the Federal Administration for Inspection Affairs (FUZIP),” implemented with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Government of the Swiss Confederation.
The closing event brought together representatives of inspection authorities and the business community in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and presented the project’s key achievements and opportunities for their practical application in developing a more effective, harmonized and predictable inspection system that contributes to legal certainty and a level playing field for businesses.
The project covered several interconnected areas, including strengthening FUZIP’s professional, institutional and regulatory capacities, improving coordination with cantonal inspection authorities, enhancing cooperation with courts’ misdemeanour departments, developing digital solutions, and strengthening collaboration and communication with the business community.
One of the project’s key outcomes is the development of an online platform for the exchange of relevant documents and reports between FUZIP and cantonal inspection authorities. The platform also includes a knowledge base for sharing educational content and professional materials relevant to inspection practice.
As part of the project, a chatbot was also developed as a new digital communication channel between FUZIP, citizens and the business community. It will enable easier and faster access to reliable information on FUZIP’s responsibilities, the rights and obligations of businesses, as well as relevant regulations and procedures. This will further enhance the accessibility and transparency of FUZIP’s work while strengthening the preventive role of inspections by supporting better understanding and compliance with regulations.
FUZIP Director Ivana Prvulović emphasized that the true value of the project’s results will be demonstrated through their application in everyday practice.
“When preparing the proposed project activities, our goal was not merely to modernize processes within FUZIP. We wanted the solutions we developed to contribute to higher-quality inspection work, better cooperation among institutions, and clearer procedures for those subject to regulations. For businesses, this means clearer expectations and less room for differing interpretations and practices. For inspection authorities, it means better tools, improved information exchange and stronger professional support. And for society as a whole, it means more effective protection of the public interest and greater trust in institutions,” said Prvulović.
She added that she was particularly pleased that part of the project focused on cooperation between inspection authorities and courts’ misdemeanour departments. As she noted, legal certainty depends not only on what regulations prescribe but also on how consistently institutions apply them. Improved cooperation and more harmonized institutional practices therefore contribute to strengthening the rule of law.
EBRD Head for Bosnia and Herzegovina Stella Melnic highlighted that an efficient and predictable regulatory environment is one of the key prerequisites for private sector development.
“Investments alone cannot create a competitive private sector. It is equally important that the rules governing business operations are clear and applied consistently and equally to all. For most businesses, inspections are where these principles become reality,” said Melnic.
She stressed that when inspection oversight is transparent, proportionate and risk-based, it protects compliant businesses because consistent enforcement ensures they are not placed at a disadvantage compared to those operating informally. Such predictability builds trust between institutions and the business sector and gives companies the confidence to invest, grow and create new jobs, she concluded.
“Efficient and professional inspection services are an important part of a well-functioning public administration. They contribute to a transparent and predictable business environment. Strengthening the institutional capacities of FUZIP is therefore relevant not only for the administration itself, but also for businesses and citizens,” said SECO representative Mr. Nils Krauer.
“We are pleased to have contributed to advancing inspection oversight reform in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Experience from Serbia, where we launched the reform back in 2017, has shown that sustainable results are achieved by working on key pillars – from establishing a modern legislative framework and strengthening coordination among inspections, to close cooperation with courts, the business community and accelerated digitalization,” said Jelena Mićić, Lead Competitiveness Advisor at NALED, adding that this cooperation marks the beginning of a long-term partnership.
An important component of the project also focused on strengthening relations between inspection authorities and the business community. The closing roundtable provided an opportunity to review the project’s results from the perspective of businesses and to discuss the needs and expectations that can be better addressed through inspection activities.
With the completion of the project, its most important phase begins: the implementation of the developed solutions in everyday practice. Their value will not be measured solely by the number of activities carried out or tools developed, but by the improvements they bring to the quality of inspection oversight, institutional cooperation and relations with users of the inspection system, as well as their contribution to protecting the public interest and building a more supportive business environment.
