Project objectives

Results to be achieved in the Project Components

Result 1 – The EU units are enabled to provide administrative support to the strategic guidance (to the oversight and scrutiny functions of the Parliaments) and prepare parliamentary positions and information activities and events related to EU accession issues:

• Sub-result 1.1: Support to the staff of the EU Units to intensify their activities (organizing events, preparing background documents and analyses, interactions with EU partners, professional background available to support any kind of EU related activities of the Parliaments)
• Sub-result 1.2: Support to the implementation and regular update of the European Integration Action Plans of the Parliaments
• Sub-result 1.3: Contribution to the preparation and implementation of parliamentary EU communication action plans

Result 2 – Contribution to setting up a cooperation mechanism on EU integration tasks ensuring its regular organisation by the EU units.

• Sub-result 2.1: Support to the functioning of the European integration cooperation mechanism
• Sub-result 2.2: Support the strengthening of the role of the Committees responsible for European integration
• Sub-result 2.3: Support the strengthening of the involvement of standing committees in performing European integration related tasks

Result 3 – The capacity of the responsible administrative structures – acting in cooperation with respective executive offices – to provide the professional support to compatibility checking and amendment drafting in a standard legal approximation procedure is improved:

• Sub-result 3.1: Coaching and on-the-job training to improve legal approximation activities
• Sub-result 3.2: Support to improve the legislative preparation and legal drafting activities of the Parliaments

Result 4 – Common Action Plan for the cantonal assemblies to enhance their role in the European integration process and to ensure their required engagement is elaborated and implemented.

• Sub-result 4.1: Elaboration and introduction of a Common Action Plan for the Cantonal Assemblies that is aligned with FBiH Action Plan to enhance their role in the European integration process and to ensure their required engagement
• Sub-result 4.2: Implementation of the training programme for the Cantonal Assemblies to enhance their role in the European integration process.

The working method of the Twinning Project

Twinning projects must bring to the Beneficiary Institutions tangible, operational skills and knowledge in connection with the parliamentary activities and the EU integration process. Therefore, after thorough assessment of the current situation, guidelines and recommendations are being elaborated to introduce or further improve structures, procedures and methods – thus establishing or strengthening European standards in the operation of the Parliaments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In order to share the EU best practices in many activity fields of the Parliaments and to provide practical information related to the EU integration process in the most efficient way, general and more specific (on-the-job) trainings, workshops, consultations, roundtables, study visits, internships and coaching activities are being delivered.

A series of various communication actions are organized to promote the awareness-raising role of BiH Parliaments in EU integration related issues.

Participants from BiH

• Members of the Parliaments of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Administration of the Parliaments of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Members and administrations of the Cantonal Assemblies from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Representatives of invited governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Experts from EU Member States

The project is implemented by the Office of the Hungarian National Assembly, the Administration of the Austrian Parliament and the Croatian Parliament Staff Service. Furthermore, experts are also invited from 7 other parliamentary chambers of 5 other EU Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Slovakia) in order to find – on the basis of European best practices – the most suitable, well-functioning structures and procedures for the BiH Parliaments. Altogether more than 60 EU Member State experts implement activities in 4 Components.