Bosnia and Herzegovina's Path to EU Membership: Progress and Challenges
Sarajevo (Fena) – As the year draws to a close, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made several important strides forward, yet it continues to grapple with significant challenges on its journey toward European Union membership. Ongoing political disagreements and a sluggish pace of reforms are hindering the implementation of necessary adjustments to meet European standards.
In Europe, 2024 was characterized by the European Parliament elections, where the topic of EU enlargement prominently featured in political campaigns. The ongoing war in Ukraine has notably altered the perspective of Western European nations, expediting discussions around EU membership for not only Ukraine but also for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has emphasized that EU enlargement will be a fundamental priority during her new term, which extends until 2029. This declaration conveys a strong commitment to integrating new members as a vital component of the EU’s future policy directions.
During the annual summit involving six Western Balkan countries and EU leaders, there were optimistic remarks regarding the prospects of enlargement. European leaders indicated 2030 as a potential timeline for achieving this goal, allowing for further negotiations and adjustments.
In March 2024, the Council of the European Union approved the conditional commencement of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. This decision marks a positive development in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European journey, following the granting of candidate status in 2023. Nevertheless, tangible progress hinges on the successful implementation of pending reforms.
At the start of the year, Bosnia and Herzegovina enacted the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, which addressed another prerequisite for opening EU negotiations and helped avoid being placed on Moneyval’s grey list.
Recently, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina passed laws concerning border control and personal data protection, which have now been submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly for consideration. These laws, designated with the label “EI” to confirm their alignment with EU legal standards, are crucial to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European aspirations. Their adoption represents significant progress toward securing a date for the initiation of accession negotiations with the EU.
The proposed Border Control Bill aims to align border management practices with EU regulations, fulfilling strategic objectives within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Integrated Border Management Strategy. Similarly, the Personal Data Protection Bill complies with the 2016 EU Regulation, establishing internationally recognized standards for data handling and movement.
While these achievements are noteworthy, they are only part of the picture, as numerous critical laws, such as those concerning the judiciary and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), remain unaddressed. Additionally, Bosnia and Herzegovina still needs to nominate a chief negotiator with the EU and a coordinator for IPA funds, both essential for accessing financial assistance and establishing a negotiation framework.
The lack of advancements in the European integration process has serious economic repercussions. Bosnia and Herzegovina stands out as the only Western Balkan nation for which the European Commission has yet to approve a reform program. While the EU remains open to engagement, political divisions obstruct access to a substantial fund of six billion euros.
Out of 113 conditions set forth by the EU, 110 have been accepted. However, critical issues such as reforms in the Constitutional Court, the entity veto, and the establishment of a unified emergency number remain unresolved. Although an agreement on the emergency number has been reached, it fell short of securing approval for the initial tranche of 70 million euros.
Concurrently, aligning Bosnia and Herzegovina’s visa regime with EU standards has become a key requirement for funding, complicating matters further as ongoing political disputes continue to delay the fulfillment of remaining obligations.
One major issue is the status of the Constitutional Court and the role of foreign judges. The EU has called for the Republic of Srpska to appoint two domestic judges by July of next year and to initiate a process by the end of 2025 regarding the status of three foreign judges. However, RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković has deemed this proposal unacceptable.
On a positive note, the Republic of Srpska has taken a step forward by abolishing the entity veto in the State Aid Council and the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Conversely, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing challenges at the cantonal level. Efforts to harmonize the Reform Agenda, which is crucial for accessing funds from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, have stalled due to opposition from cantonal prime ministers from the SDA party against relaxing the criteria for fund utilization.
In summary, despite notable progress toward European integration throughout 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face significant hurdles. Success hinges on political stability and the commitment of local leaders to enact essential reforms. The European Union remains ready to offer support, but the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European aspirations relies primarily on the country
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