At the end of the summer, FIC
Executive office started activities on the preparation of a new report of the
Foreign Investors Council in BiH, titled “Business Barometer 2020”.
“Business Barometer” is
a milestone activity of the FIC implemented in cooperation with our partners.
The first edition of this report was published in 2015, supported by the Local
Growth-Oriented Local Development (GOLD) Project, which is funded jointly by
the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The second edition of the
report was published in 2018 with the support of the MarketMakers Project,
which is a part of the Swiss Government’s contribution to the transition of BiH
towards a socially inclusive market economy.
“Business Barometer” is
the result of a survey among foreign investors in BiH (members of FIC) which
aims to gain a better insight into the level of satisfaction of FIC members
with the business environment in BiH, obstacles faced by investors, as well as
their plans for reinvestment, new employment and creating more business opportunities
in BiH.
The new “Business
Barometer” will, in addition to the previous units, contain a new chapter
that will focus on the challenges of foreign investors caused by the COVID-19
pandemic, and offer public insight into how the pandemic has affected foreign
investors in the country.
The report is currently in the
process of creating a questionnaire that will be sent to FIC members in early
October, so that the results of the research can be summarized and published
before the end of 2020, when companies will have a clearer picture of their
business and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Otherwise,
the results of the research will be used to improve the position and
requirements of investors towards BH institutions, with the aim of improving the
regulatory framework, efficiency of public administration and policy decisions
to strengthen the position of current investments and encourage new ones. The
results of the analysis should influence the creation of a more favorable
business climate for existing foreign investors in BiH in order to reinvest,
expand their business, hire new labor force and reduce unemployment.