CBBH Governor Participates in Regional Conference on SEPA Integration in Ohrid

The Governor of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jasmina Selimović, Ph.D. participated in a high-level regional meeting entitled “Making SEPA Happen Before EU Accession: Aligning Infrastructure, Regulation, and Innovation”, which is being held in Ohrid, organized by the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Central Bank of the Netherlands (De Nederlandsche Bank).

The conference brought together Governors of Central Banks of the Western Balkans and Moldova, representatives of the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and numerous experts in the field of payment systems and financial infrastructure, with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating integration into the Single European Payments Area (SEPA).

Governor Selimović participated in the panel “Making SEPA Happen Before EU Accession: Aligning Infrastructure, Regulation, and Innovation”.

During the discussion, the participants exchanged experiences and challenges in the process of modernizing national payment systems, harmonizing the legislative framework with European Union standards, and introducing innovations in cross-border payments.

Governor Selimović emphasized that the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina plays a key role in achieving technical interoperability and coordinating all activities related to joining the SEPA area. Entities Ministries and Banking Agencies are working on adapting legislation to the provisions of relevant EU directives, which creates the necessary preconditions for submitting a membership application.

“The CBBH is currently finalizing the preparation of the membership application, which is being submitted to the European Commission and the European Payments Council, and it is planned that all activities that are a prerequisite for joining the SEPA will soon be completed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This will represent an important step towards strengthening financial integration and improving the competitiveness of the domestic banking sector,” Governor Selimović stated.

The conference confirmed the joint commitment of the central banks of the region to creating an integrated, interoperable and innovative payments area, which will contribute to the economic development and acceleration of the European integration of the Western Balkan countries.