Bosnia and Herzegovinahas taken its first concrete steps on its European path, from amending key laws in the judiciary and the fight against corruption, to strengthening border management and cooperation with international institutions.
Elvira Habota, Director of the Directorate for European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke about these topics and explained which areas have already been completed and where additional efforts are still required in order for Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue its European journey and fulfil the requirements of the European Commission.
What has been done so far, and what remains?
The European Commission’s report for the previous year, 2025, effectively provides an overview of the situation and an assessment of what has been achieved. Where requirements were clearly defined in terms of adopting legislation, a certain level of progress has been made.
"Here I am primarily referring to amendments to the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, the Law on the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest, as well as amendments to the Law on the Institution of the Ombudsman for Human Rights Protection, by which we finalised the process of establishing a national preventive mechanism against torture and ill-treatment. Progress has also been made in the areas of combating corruption, organised crime, border management and migration, as through the adoption of the Law on Border Control, the Law on the Protection of Personal Data and the Strategy on Integrated Border Management, as well as the signing of agreements with Eurojust and Frontex, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made certain advances, not only during the past year but also in previous years. Ultimately, this is what the European Commission assessed in its report," Habota told Euronews.
There are no uniform European rules for appointing a chief negotiator and, as she explained, this is always a matter of political agreement. The appointment of the negotiator represents the foundation for the technical, institutional and procedural framework of the next phases. The European Union does not prescribe how this should be resolved; what matters is functionality, while the decision within Bosnia and Herzegovina will depend on a political agreement. The Directorate for European Integration has not issued an opinion at this time, as the relevant decisions have not been submitted to it.
On the Reform Agenda
When it comes to the Reform Agenda, Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken its first steps. The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is undertaking the necessary activities to conclude an agreement, which is a prerequisite for using funds from the Growth Plan. In December, the Council of Ministers considered and adopted information on the status of the Reform Agenda and the next institutional steps.
In line with that conclusion, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Directorate for Economic Planning and the Directorate for European Integration have been tasked, in cooperation with all levels of government, with preparing a draft decision on the institutional framework for the implementation of the Reform Agenda, and that work is currently under way.
"Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are communicating with the European Commission in order to meet the technical and procedural conditions for the use of funds. The first operational tranche could amount to around 98 million euros, but everything depends on the work that still needs to be completed," Habota stated.
At recent sessions of the Council of Ministers, discussions were held on the appointment of a coordinator, a person who should lead the entire Reform Agenda process. Information appeared suggesting that neither the Directorate for Economic Planning nor the Directorate for European Integration had sufficient capacity to carry the entire project and that they lacked staff who could be appointed to this position.
"At the Council of Ministers session itself in December, the Directorate for Economic Planning informed the Council about the appointment of a coordinator in accordance with Article Five of the agreement. The role of the coordinator would not relate to the operational implementation of individual reforms, but to the list of tasks defined in the agreement itself. These tasks involve several institutions, primarily the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Directorate for Economic Planning and the Directorate for European Integration. A conclusion was adopted that these three institutions should prepare a draft decision, and the Directorate for European Integration will, as before, carry out the tasks assigned by the Council of Ministers and strive to complete its part of the work as soon as possible. The fact is that every new task, especially one of this scale and complexity, requires strengthening capacities, not only in terms of staff numbers but also knowledge and skills. The issue of the coordinator remains a matter of political agreement, but we all have to work as quickly as possible in order to complete this part of the work that the European Commission expects from us," she explained.
How is the EU Association Agreement implemented today?
Within the framework of the Agreement, joint bodies of representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU have been established, tasked with monitoring its implementation. Meetings of these bodies are held once a year and address all issues related to the implementation of the Agreement. The general assessment is that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is being implemented.
The European Commission prepares an annual report providing an overview of the situation and guidelines for further work. All issues concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path are also discussed at meetings of the subcommittees.
"There have been cases where, due to the non-adoption of laws or failure to meet obligations, certain projects were not implemented. However, those funds are usually redirected to other projects that are positively assessed and relevant. The obligations listed by the European Commission include the preparation of regional aid maps, equal treatment of domestic and foreign natural persons when acquiring real estate, further alignment of legislation in the field of state aid, accession to the European Patent Convention and the preparation of a state programme for the adoption of the European Union acquis," Habota believes, reminding that public support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership in the EU stands at 69.9 per cent.
Although there has been a slight decline in support in the region, this percentage remains high, she explained, adding that citizens are primarily interested in the concrete benefits that membership brings to everyday life. These benefits include access to the large European market, visa-free travel to Schengen countries, the abolition of roaming charges in Western Balkan countries and the construction of the motorway on Corridor 5C.
The Directorate for European Integration will continue to work on better informing citizens through cooperation with the media, study visits, workshops and projects. Plans also include improving the Directorate’s website with territorial cooperation projects, a total of 309 projects that have a direct impact on citizens’ everyday lives.
When asked about projections for 2026 regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path, Habota replied that European officials emphasise that the EU is preparing for a new round of enlargement and that the EU’s doors are open to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but that there are no shortcuts. Work and concrete results are required.
"Bosnia and Herzegovina has not done enough for the European Commission to prepare, and the Council to adopt, the negotiating framework and start accession negotiations. However, when there is political support, BiH can make rapid progress. A great deal of responsibility this year lies with political actors in BiH. I expect an acceleration of the pace, the appointment of a chief negotiator and the adoption of laws in the field of the judiciary so that we can keep up with the leading countries in the region and begin negotiations with the European Union," Habota said.
The importance of the agreement with the EU
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement represents the foundation of relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. On the basis of this agreement, a free trade area with the EU has been established, which is the largest foreign trade partner and the main export destination for domestic producers. The agreement regulates reciprocal obligations of both sides.
(EUpravo zato/Euronews)