The status of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of accession to the European Union

• Main Author: Lakić Danijela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University Dzon Nezbit 2015-01-01
• Series: Megatrend Revija
• Subjects: Stabilization and Association process; coordination mechanism on EU issues; IpA 2; Bosnia and Herzegovina; the European union
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1820-3159/2015/1820-31591501257L.pdf

The paper analyzes the level that Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached in the process of accession to the European union. Since year 2000, it has been included in Stabilization and Accession process, politico-legal framework of the European union for the integration in the Western Balkans. Among the countries in this region, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the slowest advancement on its way to the EU. It has not yet submitted the application for EU membership nor has the Stabilization and Accession Agreement come into force. The EU requires that Bosnia and Herzegovina meet two conditions in order to move forward. The first condition is the implementation of the Sejdić and Finci ruling of The European Court of Human Rights, from 2009, and the second is to create an efficient coordination mechanism on EU issues ( with one voice on EU issues). until the second condition is met, the EU has postponed making the decision on pre-accession assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina until further notice. According to the assessment of the European Commission, the main cause of this stagnation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lack of political will, and its specific constitution that does not present the obstacle to succession in the process of European integration.