What do you need to know about the Draft Law on Internal Trade in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The Draft Law on Internal Trade, proposed by the Federal Ministry of Trade and submitted to parliament by the Government of the FBiH, aims to improve and modernize the trade sector in the Federation. It covers various aspects of trade and trade services, such as the rights and obligations of traders, forms of trade, pricing, trade records, market monitoring, consumer protection, unfair commercial acts, trade restrictions, and inspection supervision. It also clarifies the definition of trader and trade activity and introduces new forms and ways of trade, such as special market institutions.

It regulates internet sales in detail, requiring traders to provide clear and permanent information about themselves and their products to consumers and authorities, bearing in mind its increasing share in the total retail turnover. The explanation notes that with the development of internet sales, certain deviations have arisen due to the legally unregulated situation in the field of electronic business, and it is necessary to provide adequate mechanisms for such phenomena. For instance, the Draft Law stipulates, among other things, that a trader carrying out distance sales must provide exhaustively stated information about themselves in a form and in a way that is directly and permanently available to consumers and competent inspection authorities.

It also specifies the grounds for terminating the trade activity by the decision of the competent body. The draft law is aligned with EU law, as Bosnia and Herzegovina has recently become a candidate country.