Nature protection and biodiversity - National Responses (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

The preparation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's NBSAP document (Strategy and Action Plan for the Protection of Biological and Landscape Diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008-2015) is extremely important for the country. Not only will it improve the state of biodiversity, but also other related aspects such as sustainable development, perhaps even helping to pave the way towards negotiations for accession to the European Union.

Since its finalisation in 2008, the document has successfully passed through the phases of public consultation and expert review and is currently in the adoption phase. According to the official procedure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is necessary for the Strategy to obtain approval by the governments of both entities before it can be adopted at state level.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a clear intention to join the European Union. To this end, in recent years the country has been working to transpose  European legislation into national law. Thus, the principles of the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive have been embedded into the nature protection laws of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently preparing a new law on nature protection which will be more similar to European law on nature protection.