Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Food Safety Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FSA BiH), in collaboration with competent authority of the entity and Brčko distrikt BiH, is responsible for drafting legislation in the area of food and feed safety, quality and hygiene.

The FSA BiH is an independent and science-based authority and provides scientific and technical support on all matters with regard to food and feed safety. It is responsible for risk assessments in this area and the communication of results of risk assessments.

The Food Safety Agency of BiH is the contact point for the DG SANTE EU RASFF system, the INFOSAN network and the Codex Alimentarius pursuant to the provisions of the Food Law (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 50/04).

The FSA BiH works in close communication and cooperation with several national institutions at all levels.

At the central level, two institutions within the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations (MoFTER), the Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VO) and the Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Plant Health Protection BiH, have responsibilities related to food safety, animal health/welfare and plant protection. The Department for Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Rural Development within the MoFTER is responsible for the coordination and oversight of the relevant state agencies.

The Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VO BiH) is the subordinate specialist authority within the MoFTER tasked with animal health and welfare, veterinary public health, veterinary medicines, ensuring a system for risk management in the production and circulation of food of animal origin and, in accordance with the competent authority of the entity and Brčko District, prepares draft legislation in the area of animal health, welfare and feed, and veterinary public health.

The VO BiH monitors and controls animal welfare, including zoonosis. The Veterinary Border Inspection Department is an integral part of the VO BiH and is in charge of official controls of food animal origin and animal feed at the border. The VO BiH is responsible for the cooperation and coordination with the veterinary authorities of other countries in terms of international certification.

The Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Plant Health Protection (PHPA BiH) was established as a separate administrative organisation within the MoFTER to determine policy in the area of plant health protection, develop draft regulations and ensure the protection of plant health in the entire BiH territory. The PHPA BiH is an independent administrative organisation within the MoFTER of Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents a National Organization for Plant Protection in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The PHPA BiH is responsible for plant health protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as for information exchange/cooperation with international organisations dealing with phytosanitary matters such as IPPC/FAO, EPPO, WTO/SPS, UPOV, OECD, ISTA, etc. The PHPA performs administrative and related technical tasks in line with the Law on Plant Health Protection. It is also responsible for the controls regarding plant protection products, their residues, and registered suppliers/users.

Phytosanitary inspectors carry out obligatory controls on consignments of plants, plant products and regulated objects in accordance with Annex I part B (I) at border crossings (Border Inspection Posts, BIPs) in order to determine the presence of harmful organisms or compliance with phytosanitary regulations, and also conduct phytosanitary inspections of plants, plant products and regulated objects in the interior (where the plants are produced, processed, stored, transported, distributed or otherwise used).