The conference “Towards a sustainable textile, clothing, leather and footwear industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is being held today and tomorrow in Sarajevo, as part of the “EU4Business Recovery” project, financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, and jointly implemented International Labor Organization, GIZ and UNDP.
At the conference, it was pointed out that the International Labor Organization provides support to small and medium-sized enterprises in the production of textiles, clothing, leather and footwear, with the aim of ensuring business continuity and increasing their resilience through an integrated support package.
The head of the Operations Section for Economic Development, Natural Resources and Infrastructure on behalf of the EU Delegation, Antonella Di Sandri, emphasizes that European integration is not only related to key priorities and harmonization of laws, but also to the many people in BiH who work to bring this country closer to the European Union.
“With an investment of 13.7 million euros, we provided support for at least 150 companies and the preservation of a thousand jobs, as well as the creation of a hundred new ones. One of the key sectors where BiH has a long tradition of creativity is the textile industry. The European Union provided financial and technical support for 29 textile companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 70 percent of the exports of the textile industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina go to EU countries, and that is fantastic,” Di Sandri said.
He notes that BiH, as a candidate for EU membership, must meet standards related to circularity, that is, it must extend the life cycle of products, and make sure to provide good conditions for workers in this sector.
Senior employment expert at the International Labor Organization, Daniela Zampini, points out that one cannot talk about competitiveness and productivity without talking about workers’ rights.
“Industrial rules are back and they are here to stay. We will talk about different problems that affect this sector, such as the problems of lack of workers and qualified workers, circularity, compliance with EU rules, etc. In our organization, the only way to talk about this is together for employers, workers and representatives of relevant institutions, in the same room. Only through this kind of cooperation and dialogue can we ensure better productivity and competitiveness, and at the same time better conditions for workers,” said Zampini.
Elspeth Hathaway, a representative of the European Union of Industry, notes that after the coronavirus pandemic, the textile sector in BiH went through major problems. As she said, the participants of the conference will talk about solving those problems and restoring this sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We will also talk about digitization and the introduction of green policies, in order to build a sustainable future for this sector and its workers. For us in the trade unions, sustainability must be good for workers and the planet. That is why we will talk about EU legislation. The EU strategy for textiles will have a big impact on the industry and workers in BiH. We know that we have to transform the sector in order to make it more sustainable, more digital and greener,” explained Hathaway and added that this is a great opportunity for the textile industry in BiH and its workers.
Three panel discussions are planned at the event to familiarize participants with the current situation, challenges and opportunities for a successful transition and finding solutions useful for all participants, and with the role of education and training in ensuring a qualified workforce.
According to the data from the “Report on expressed needs in the textile, clothing, leather and footwear industry in BiH” during 2022, that industry had 459 active companies and about 33,700 workers, of which 20,000 in the FBiH and 13,700 in the RS, Fena reports.
