Environmental approximation Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The main objective of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Environmental approximation Strategy (or EAS) is to ensure strategic planning of the approximation process implementation of which would provide conditions for improving of environmental protection with the aim of sustainable development. The environmental approximation process in fact consists of the transposition of environmental legislation of European Union (EU) into the legislation in BiH and implementation of such environmental legislation in BiH. Implementation will require the development of sub-strategies and plans that identify what resources are needed and how they can be mobilized to complete the implementation of the acquis. Coordination of activities of different administrative authorities in BiH competent for the alignment of environmental legislation in BiH with the EU environmental acquis and its gradual implementation in accordance the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) is a vital dimension of such commitment. Environmental approximation Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be seen as a strategic framework planning document, which should provide necessary conditions for fulfilling of international obligations accepted by BiH country-wide, in all constitutional parts of BiH, where competence for environmental issues is shared between its political units, i.e. Federation of BiH, Republic of Srpska and Brcko District of BiH. At a more technical level, this mean that Environmental approximation Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina shall also provide a reliable basic framework for development and adoption of the strategic documents of two entities (FBiH, RS) and Brcko District of BiH aimed at full transposition of the EU environmental acquis into their respective political systems. Implementation and enforcement of the FBiH, RS and BD of BiH legislation fully harmonized with the EU environmental legislation (acquis) are permanent activities of environmental authorities. Sub-sectors of this Strategy are as follows: Horizontal (cross-cutting) issues; Water Management; Waste Management; Air Quality and Climate Change; Industrial Pollution; Chemicals; Nature Protection; and Environmental Noise. The EU Marine Strategy, as well as the issues regarding ionizing and non-ionizing radiation are left out of the scope of this Strategy and they are not elaborated here. This implies a need for the BiH institutions to deal with these issues in separate strategic documents, or to include them into the first revision of EAS.