Deposit insurance is an integral part of the Financial Stability and Safety Network and has been established in a number of countries around the world under various institutional arrangements. The first forms of deposit insurance date back to the past, though everybody relates it to the Great Financial Crisis of the 1930s emerging in the United States.
The primary purpose of deposit insurance is to protect small savers through providing the deposit insurance services in the member banks of the insurance program, thereby ensuring the confidence of the public and small savers and thus contributing to the stability of each country’s financial system.
The Deposit Insurance Scheme was first established in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1999, first at Entity levels, after which a State-level deposit insurance scheme grew out of entity-level agencies in a later period. This year it is a 20th Anniversary of the establishment of a deposit insurance scheme in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Deposit Insurance Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DIA BiH) and the European Deposit Insurance Forum (EFDI) have organized the Annual General Assembly of EFDI and the International Conference to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the existence and operation of the Deposit Insurance Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Entire event of the EFDI’s Annual General Meeting and International Conference organised by the EFDI and DIA BiH were held in Sarajevo from 25 – 28 September 2019.
Each year, EFDI’s 3 day-event highlights the day-to-day work of the Association’s 70 EFDI Members, who are all key actors in the financial stability mechanism of enlarged Europe. The international association is a unique place for cooperation among Deposit Guarantee Schemes and Investor Compensation Schemes in Europe at large.  Members of EFDI – deposit insurers, Investment Compensation Schemes, resolution authorities etc. constantly exchange experiences and views, provide analysis, assessment and recommendations and collectively elaborate views on European and national regulations.
Host of the entire 2019 event was Deposit Insurance Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DIA BiH), an active member of the EFDI association.
Deposit insurance scheme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which according to internationally recognized qualification is a so-called “pay boxes” model, is far more advanced in its features. Two payouts of the insured deposit made by DIA BiH irrefutably prove that the young DI scheme has grown to the primary purpose of its existence, i.e. reimbursement of insured deposit made far earlier than the statutory framework. Through two insured cases, the contribution of the DGS to financial sector stability and public confidence has been confirmed.
Considering that Bosnia and Herzegovina is on its path towards EU membership and complying with the requirements and regulations of EU directives, DIA BiH considers that it was most appropriate to organize an international scale event in cooperation with the European Deposit Insurance Forum (EFDI) to celebrate its 20th Anniversary.
European Forum of deposit insurers (EFDI) was created in 2002 as an international non-profit association. The purpose of the Association is to contribute to the stability of financial systems by strengthening the role of Deposit Guarantee Schemes (DGSs) The Association shall represent the common interests of the Members, exchange information, experiences and views, provide analysis, assessment and recommendations in its field of expertise, and collaborate with EU, national, supranational and international institutions. EFDI gathers in its membership 70 member institutions, out of which 57 Deposit Guarantee Schemes, 13 Investor Compensation Schemes all together from 48 countries from enlarged Europe.

Deposit Insurance Agency of BiH is an active Member of the EFDI since its establishment.
The aforementioned event organized in our country was attended by a total of 159 registered participants of domestic and international officials (deposit insurance schemes, central banks, authorities, economists, etc.) from our country, Europe and beyond. According to official figures, this was the record number of registered participants at an event organized by EFDI ever.
The discussions revolved around 2 main and most up-to-date themes:
– REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: EU Acquis, Review of the DGSD2 and the implications of the European Court decision on the Italian Banca Terca’s case, which may have long-term consequences on the future applied resolution techniques in the EU.
– OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK: New practitioners’ standards to enhance financial stability and to successfully manage crisis, including presentations of the 6 Non-Binding Guidance Papers of EFDI.

DIA of Bosnia and Herzegovina has celebrated its 20th Anniversary. By being one of the key elements of the financial stability network, we are very much proud that we proved our role and contributed to the financial stability of the country. In the two bank failures we had, we managed to complete reimbursement in 14, respectively 8 days which is quite high even for European standards. Celebration of our 20th Anniversary is combined also with the 2019 EFDI AGM and International Conference organized in our country. The International Conference has kicked off different dialogues and discussions which are yet to enhance and improve our future goals and actions. Panel Session 1 gathered representatives from deposit guarantee schemes from the Balkan Region countries where we could listen about achieved progress of each individual DGS in comparison with the EU acquis from the Directive on Deposit Guarantee Schemes. According to the latest draft Law on Deposit Insurance in BiH, which is under parliamentary procedure, we can say that by adopting the draft Law, our deposit insurance scheme will be largely harmonized with the requirements of the EU Directive. 
 
In conclusion, we can say that the DIA BiH has successfully organized the event, which was recognized and confirmed by both international and domestic institutions and authorities.
DIA BiH remains committed to further enhancing its operations and following international best practices, recommendations and EU standards in the field of deposit insurance and related financial regulations.