Enis Zejnić, Relationship Manager, GSS Bosnia and Herzegovina, reviews the determined political agenda that aims at EU accession
Today, we would like to update our readers on the current status of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on its path towards European Union (EU) membership.
Back in 1997 the EU Council of Ministers established political and economic conditionality for the development of bilateral relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. This granted autonomous trade preferences to BiH, which was a crucial stimulant for the country´s economy at the time. The Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) started in May 1999 offering a clear EU accession perspective for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the other five Western Balkans countries.
In the following years, the Bosnian authorities and people put forth the effort and made the necessary steps on the country´s European path showing its commitment to the EU integration process, which was rewarded in June 2008 with the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). The SAA was the first contractual relationship with the European Union that BiH had entered into. The Interim Agreement which became applicable upon the signing of the SAA allowed 85% of BiH exports go to the EU. The SAA itself finally entered into force in June 2015.
The next step was submission of the application for EU candidate country status and membership, which Bosnia and Herzegovina did in February 2016.
Submitting the EU membership application was a huge step forward in accelerating reforms and European integration. In order to submit a credible application, BiH was required to take numerous important measures, including legal and economic reforms.
Finally, in September 2016, the Council of the EU (GAC) adopted a decision to ask the European Commission to submit its opinion on the application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the EU. The Council’s decision confirmed the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina and paved the way for new successes in the European integration process.
Accordingly, the European Commission sent a questionnaire to Bosnia and Herzegovina asking for answers to queries on the country's suitability to join the EU with the aim to assess Bosnia's economy, compliance with human rights and the rule of law, and other obligations of a member state.
It is expected that BiH will respond to the questionnaire in the following months and that the country’s authorities will continue their efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the socio-economic reforms in addition to reforms in the areas of rule of law and public administration to the benefit of its citizens and in close cooperation with the European Union, international financial institutions and international partners, as well as civil society.
Enis Zejnić
Relationship Manager