At its regular 42nd session held in Sarajevo on September 4, 2024, the Council for Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of BiH adopted the Implementing Rules for Filling Out the Registers of SDI FBiH and the Implementing Rules for Metadata of SDI FBiH.

The adoption of the Law on Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH”, No. 55/21) established the preconditions and need for drafting bylaws, which, upon the proposal of the Coordination Body, are adopted by the SDI FBiH Council. The legal basis for adopting these implementing rules is Articles 12, 13, and 14 of the Law on SDI FBiH, which provide for the adoption of bylaws defining metadata, technical conditions for interoperability, harmonization, and sharing of spatial data sources.

The Implementing Rules for Filling Out the Registers of SDI FBiH regulate the process of entering data into the Registers of the Spatial Data Infrastructure. The technical implementation of these rules, along with detailed instructions and clarifications, are contained in the Instructions for Filling Out the Register of Entities and the Register of SDI Sources, which are also adopted by the SDI FBiH Council and form an integral part of these Implementing Rules.

The Implementing Rules for Metadata of SDI FBiH prescribe the criteria, standards, and methods for documenting and exchanging metadata of spatial data infrastructure entities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These rules also include Instructions for Filling Out the Metadata Catalog of SDI FBiH, the Metadata Profile, the Metadata Specification for SDI FBiH, and the Metadata Glossary for SDI FBiH.

By adopting these bylaws, SDI FBiH entities, the Coordination Body, and spatial data users gain significant benefits. For SDI FBiH entities, these rules provide clear guidelines on how to consistently enter data into registers, ensuring data standardization and quality across the Federation. The Coordination Body is enabled to more effectively coordinate and supervise data entry, as well as to manage registers and metadata more easily. Data users, on the other hand, gain access to better-organized and reliable spatial data, facilitating their use and analysis. The implementing rules enhance data interoperability and harmonization, making it easier to share and use data among various institutions.

These rules will be published in the official gazettes of the Federation of BiH and on the official SDI FBiH website, ensuring transparency and availability to all interested parties.