Joining EU (14 Key Priorities)
On 12 October 2022, the European Commission recommended that candidate status be granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Council.
In the European Commission's Bosnia and Herzegovina Report 2022, it is stated that:
The 14 key priorities remain unchanged and are not up for negotiation. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to fulfil them all before being able to open EU accession negotiations.
On 15 December 2022, the European Council officially granted candidacy status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. In practice, this doesn't mean much, as there will be no progress until priorities below get addressed.
Also see: April Package, Open Balkan, Berlin Process
14 Key Priorities
Priority 1
Ensure that elections are conducted in line with European standards by implementing OSCE/ODIHR and relevant Venice Commission recommendations, ensuring transparency of political party financing, and holding municipal elections in Mostar.
Municipal elections held in Mostar in December 2020.
Priority 2
Ensure a track record in the functioning at all levels of the coordination mechanism on EU matters including by developing and adopting a national programme for the adoption of the EU acquis.
No progress.
Priority 3
Ensure the proper functioning of the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.
First SAPC held in 2021 following adoption of rules of procedure, although without adoption of recommendation. No SAPC held in 2022.
Priority 4
Fundamentally improve the institutional framework, including at constitutional level, in order to:
- Ensure legal certainty on the distribution of competences across levels of government;
- Introduce a substitution clause to allow the State upon accession to temporarily exercise competences of other levels of government to prevent and remedy breaches of EU law;
- Guarantee the independence of the judiciary, including its self-governance institution (HJPC);
- Reform the Constitutional Court, including addressing the issue of international judges, and ensure enforcement of its decisions;
- Guarantee legal certainty, including by establishing a judicial body entrusted with ensuring the consistent interpretation of the law throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Ensure equality and non-discrimination of citizens, notably by addressing the Sejdić-Finci ECtHR case law;
- Ensure that all administrative bodies entrusted with implementing the acquis are based only upon professionalism and eliminate veto rights in their decision-making, in compliance with the acquis.
No progress.
Priority 5
Take concrete steps to promote an environment conducive to reconciliation in order to overcome the legacies of the war.
National war crimes processing strategy adopted in September 2020.
Priority 6
Improve the functioning of the judiciary by adopting new legislation on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and of the Courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina in line with European standards.
No progress.
Priority 7
Strengthen the prevention and fight against corruption and organised crime, including money laundering and terrorism, notably by:
- adopting and implementing legislation on conflict of interest and whistle-blowers’ protection;
- ensuring the effective functioning and coordination of anti-corruption bodies;
- align the legislation and strengthen capacities on public procurement;
- ensuring effective cooperation among law enforcement bodies and with prosecutors’ offices;
- demonstrating progress towards establishing a track record of proactive investigations, confirmed indictments, prosecutions and final convictions against organised crime and corruption, including at high-level;
- de-politicising and restructuring public enterprises and ensuring transparency of privatisation processes.
Legislative amendments on public procurement adopted in August 2022.
Priority 8
Ensuring effective coordination, at all levels, of border management and migration management capacity, as well as ensuring the functioning of the asylum system.
Improvement of migration management.
Priority 9
Strengthen the protection of the rights of all citizens, notably by ensuring the implementation of the legislation on non-discrimination and on gender equality.
No progress.
Priority 10
Ensure the right to life and prohibition of torture, notably by
(a) abolishing the reference to death penalty in the Constitution of the Republika Srpska entity and
(b) designate a national preventive mechanism against torture and ill-treatment.
In October 2019 the Constitutional Court repealed the reference to death penalty in the Republika Srpska entity constitution.
Priority 11
Ensure an enabling environment for civil society, notably by upholding European standards on freedom of association and freedom of assembly.
No progress.
Priority 12
Guarantee freedom of expression and of the media and the protection of journalists, notably by:
(a) ensuring the appropriate judicial follow-up to cases of threats and violence against journalists and media workers, and
(b) ensuring the financial sustainability of the public broadcasting system.
No progress. In fact, there was a regression. The new law against defamation passed in Republika Srpska (Jul 2023) makes it nearly impossible to be critical of the government.
Priority 13
Improve the protection and inclusion of vulnerable groups, in particular persons with disabilities, children, LGBTIQ persons, members of the Roma community, detainees, migrants and asylum seekers, as well as displaced persons and refugees in line with the objective of closure of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Pride marches held regularly since 2020, action plan on rights of LGBTIQ persons adopted in July 2022, action plan on the social inclusion of the Roma adopted in May 2022.
Priority 14
Complete essential steps in public administration reform towards improving the overall functioning of the public administration by ensuring a professional and de-politicised civil service and a coordinated countrywide approach to policy making.
All levels of government adopted the action plan on public administration reform, a comprehensive and countrywide public finance management strategy, and individual strategies
on public financial management.
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