The American Chamber of Commerce in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AmCham BiH), in cooperation with the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized a business meeting dedicated to fostering dialogue between public institutions and the private sector on the application of the Competition Law and the Public Procurement Law of BiH. The meeting focused on strengthening market competition, transparency, and ethical business conduct, as well as improving mutual understanding of the roles and responsibilities of institutions and market participants.
During the meeting, representatives of relevant institutions, AmCham BiH member companies, and the wider business community from various industries discussed challenges in the practical enforcement of legislation, identification of market abuses, and opportunities to enhance cooperation between institutions and companies in addressing corruption and unfair competition.
Participants concluded that sustainable and healthy competition depends on the integrity of market actors and their willingness to operate fairly and transparently. It was emphasized that awareness of competition rules and potential sanctions must exist at all levels of business operations—from senior management to operational staff. While larger companies are generally familiar with regulatory requirements, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises often lack sufficient knowledge of prohibited agreements and their consequences.
Panelists agreed that more effective enforcement of the Competition Law requires stronger inter-institutional cooperation and better coordination within public administration. They also highlighted the need to further align the Competition Law and the Public Procurement Law, including consideration of mandatory mechanisms for excluding entities that violate relevant regulations. Continuous education, transparency, and deterrent sanctions were identified as key pillars for safeguarding fair market competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ninela Salihbašić, President of the Competition Council of BiH, emphasized the Council’s crucial role in protecting market competition and ensuring equal business conditions, noting that expert dialogue with the business community contributes to better understanding and consistent application of competition rules.
AmCham BiH Director Nedim Hamzić underlined AmCham’s role in connecting the private sector and institutions, with the aim of strengthening trust between regulators and companies and supporting businesses in building integrity and compliance systems.
Mila Crnogorac Bajić, Chair of the AmCham BiH Ethics and Compliance Committee, pointed out that anti-competitive agreements harm not only competition but also citizens as consumers, stressing the importance of joint efforts by institutions and the business community to prevent such practices and promote fair market conditions.
The panel discussion featured Adisa Begić and Ivo Jerkić, Members of the Competition Council of BiH, Tarik Rahić, Director of the Public Procurement Agency of BiH, and Ezmana Turković, Attorney at Marić & Co., who addressed mechanisms for protecting market competition, reporting irregularities, administrative exclusion of bidders from public procurement procedures, and compliance with domestic and international regulations.
This meeting is part of AmCham BiH’s broader commitment, together with partner institutions, to advancing business integrity, ethics, and compliance in line with European standards and international best practices.
