The Government of the Republic of Srpska accepted today, at its 37th extraordinary meeting held in Banja Luka, the Information about the Activities of the Working Group for Business Start-Up Process Reform in the Republic of Srpska and the supporting Reform Action Plan.
The reform provides for the establishment of a one stop shop for receipt of applications at the Agency for Intermediary, IT and Financial Services (APIF) (central unit in Banja Luka and several operating units throughout the Republic of Srpska) and the IT linking of APIF with responsible registration courts, Tax Administration of the Republic of Srpska, Republic Institute of Statistics of the Republic of Srpska, Inspectorate of the Republic of Srpska and potentially with the Indirect Taxation Authority - ITA (Tax Administration of the Republic of Srpska –ITA).
This would enable the companies, after notarization of their founding acts, to only refer to APIF which would then send applications ex officio to other institutions. Also, the companies would be receiving all registration decisions from APIF, not later than 3 days from the date of application submitting.
One of the important outcomes of the reform would be a significantly cheaper and faster registration system and a single up-to-date register of all business entities: companies (legal persons); entrepreneurs (natural persons); other legal persons.
Concerning entrepreneurs, the registration system would remain with the local communities, providing reductions of procedures and time needed for the establishment, by means of establishment of links with the RS Tax Administration.
The Government of the Republic of Srpska is also committed to significant reduction of costs of business start-up.
The final objective of the reform is also a possibility of electronic submitting of application through internet / on-line registration, which represents the final stage of the reform.
The Government of the Republic of Srpska entrusts all ministries and other Government institutions to carry out the assigned activities within the deadlines prescribed by the Action Plan, and to inform the Ministry of Economic Relations and Regional Cooperation thereabout.
The Ministry of Economic Relations and Regional Cooperation is entrusted with the task to inform the Government of the Republic of Srpska about the implemented activities on a regular basis.
The Republic Secretariat for Legislation is entrusted with the task to provide mutual harmonization between laws and subordinate legislation mentioned in the Action Plan during their drafting, and to advise the regulators of any potential need for additional harmonization.
The Government of the Republic of Srpska suggests to all local self-governance units to cut as much as possible the costs related to the registration of craft and entrepreneurial activity, along the lines of the reform.
The Government of the Republic of Srpska supported the establishment of a project team to monitor and manage reform implementation.
