Sarajevo, (Fena) – The European Union is preparing to accept new members for the first time in over a decade. The expansion of the Union is a real possibility in the coming years. Its urgency, considering geopolitical changes and ensuring peace and stability on the European continent, makes expansion one of the greatest priorities of the European Union – writes in a column the head of the EU Delegation and special representative of the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luigi Soreca.
Confirmation of this, as stated in the column, are the recent visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, the High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas, and the Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi.
In the process of enlargement, there are clearly those who have gone the furthest. Montenegro has set a goal to conclude accession negotiations by the end of 2026, Albania by the end of 2027. Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the enormous potential of this country, has not yet formally started the accession negotiation process.
In the Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, published as part of the Enlargement Package, certain positive steps are noted, including the adoption of laws on data protection and border control, as well as the signing of a status agreement with Frontex, which has resulted in the engagement of more than a hundred Frontex officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support the Border Police of BiH.
– However, the overall picture for 2025 highlights a lack of progress. The report should serve as an essential guide that can help Bosnia and Herzegovina make up for lost time. There are certain indications that in the upcoming period, Bosnia and Herzegovina could adopt the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH and the Law on Courts, as well as appoint a chief negotiator and negotiating team, thereby creating the conditions for holding the first Intergovernmental Conference and opening accession negotiations – wrote Soreca.
As emphasized yesterday by the High Representative and Vice President Kallas during the presentation of the enlargement package, accession to the European Union remains a fair and challenging process, based on achieved results. The Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH and the Law on Courts must be adopted in their entirety in accordance with European standards, primarily in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the recommendations of the European Commission.
When it comes to the appointment of the chief negotiator and negotiating team, as with all other countries in accession negotiations, that decision is made by Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the Constitution and relevant regulations. For the EU, it is most important that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a reliable interlocutor with the European Commission. To achieve this, the chief negotiator and negotiating team must be able to speak with one voice, on behalf of the entire country, and be operational, i.e., have the resources, capacities, and knowledge to effectively conduct negotiations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU.
– The first Intergovernmental Conference could be organized by the end of 2025, provided that all conditions are met. We want to avoid a situation where institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina waste time during 2026, just at the moment when other countries in the region are using their time productively to make final steps towards full membership – emphasized Soreca.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a complex arrangement that requires coordination and alignment of usually opposing political views. Consequently, decision-making often takes longer. While ensuring that the arrangement allows for discussions from different perspectives and finding compromise solutions, it is also crucial that Bosnia and Herzegovina has more functional democratic institutions that can make decisions more easily.
It is noted that one of the reasons why there is a desire to formally initiate the accession negotiation process as soon as possible – besides being a step forward towards full membership – is the very fact that negotiations represent an opportunity to discuss the arrangement of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a comprehensive and structured manner, with stronger support from the broader expertise available within the European Commission. The framework of accession negotiations, with its cluster and chapter methodology, offers the best way to support the country in establishing more functional democratic institutions that enable it to succeed and take its place in the European Union.
– By agreeing on the Reform Agenda for the Growth Plan in September, the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina have once again shown that when there is political will, it is possible for the country to achieve agreed, consensus solutions in which everyone benefits and which bring benefits to all who live in this country. Only a few steps remain until the formal initiation of accession negotiations, which should have a transformative effect on the functioning of institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now is the time to take those steps – concludes Soreca. (7.11.)
