The seminar “Introduction to the Eurocodes” was held within the framework of the project “Support to the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of application of Eurocodes” on Tuesday, 27.01.2015 at hotel Hollywood, Sarajevo. Speakers at the seminar were Mrs. Jindra Kafková, Mr Miroslav Chloupek; Mr. Zdenĕk Veselý and Mr. Jiří Kratochvíl from the Czech Office for Standards, Metrology and Testing; Mr. Luboš Keim from the Building Research Institute in Prague, Mr. Dragan Milović from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mr. Sanin Džidić, chairman of the technical committee BAS/TC 58 - Eurocodes.

The purpose of the seminar is to familiarize the general public with the Eurocodes, which are a set of European standards for the design of buildings and other civil engineering works and construction products. Eurocodes serve as a reference document recognized by the authorities of EU Member States and as such provide a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements that have been set out in the Regulation on laying down harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products (Construction Products Regulation - CPR 305/2011).

The basic intent of the Eurocodes is to establish a series of general principles and rules for the calculation of all types of building construction regardless of the material.

The participants of the seminar were acquainted with the project through a brief opening statements by the deputy president of ÚNMZ and project leader Mr. Miroslav Chloupek and director of the BAS Institute Mr. Aleksandar Cincar and representatives of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Sarajevo, Mrs. Anesa Terza Vuković.

Experts from the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced the participants to the quality infrastructure in the Czech Republic, implementation and application of the Eurocodes regarding standardization, standardization documents and legislation in the construction industry as well as the role of ÚNMZ. Participants were also introduced to the quality infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the current situation regarding legislation and standards, and with the work programme of BAS technical committee BAS/TC 58, Eurocodes.

The seminar was attended by 65 participants from various fields related to the construction (economy, ministries, academia and standardization). Attendance of the seminar was free of charge, and by the end of the seminar all participants received a certificate.