NEWSLETTER FOR 4th QUARTER OF 2020.

The year behind us has been very challenging. The corona virus pandemic has fundamentally changed our world and our habits. Nevertheless, despite many challenges, we managed to maintain stability in our business, optimize our business and maintain a recycling system in cooperation with our partners.

During this period, we also held meetings with the Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms. Edita Đapo and her associates, regarding proposals for amendments to the Rulebook on the management of packaging and packaging waste, in order to provide support to system operators in this challenging time. Some of the proposals were accepted, so on November 20, 2020 Amendments to the Rulebook on the management of packaging and packaging waste were published in Official Gazette of FBiH No. 85/20. A significant change made by the Ministry refers to the evidence fee related  to reported quantities which we pay to the Environmental Protection Fund  FBiH since 2013 in the amount of 2 KM per  ton of packaging that is reported to our system. We did not charge our clients for this, what significantly burdened our business. Although our proposal was to completely abolish this fee, in the end, the Ministry decided that from 2021 the Fund will collect this fee directly from taxpayers, in an amount of 1.60 KM per ton of packaging placed on the territory of FBiH.

In the past period, we started with the implementation of the regional project "Management of glass packaging in the Western Balkans" implemented in cooperation with the German GIZ, the National Alliance for Local Economic Development "Naled" from Serbia, the Association for Economic Development of Herzegovina REDAH from Mostar and operators system "Sekopak" from Serbia and "Pakomak" from Northern Macedonia. As part of the project, we participated in the organization of a regional online conference at which the project was presented and which was attended by numerous domestic and regional media.

Educating children and young people about the importance of packaging waste recycling is one of the important goals for Ekopak. Therefore, we initiated many educational projects, but also supported projects in this field of students and educational institutions. One of such initiatives came to us from primary school  "Aleksa Šantić" from Sarajevo. In their school yard there is an eco-house where students learn about environment, nature and biology. Since the eco-house has fallen into disrepair under the influence of time, Ekopak decided to help teachers and students to restore it. Together, we managed to renovate the eco-house, and today is called "Ekopak Colorful House". We are especially proud to this project.

This was a short overview for the past few months, we want this New Year 2021 to bring you good health, happiness and a lot of business success!

Managing director
Amela Hrbat