On Tuesday 13 December, the member states hailed the "significant" progress made by Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2016, including its request for accession in February, according to the statement from the Presidency that was published at the end of the General Affairs Council.
In this statement, the member states encourage Bosnia-Herzegovina's authorities "at all levels" to actively commit to participating in the process of requesting accession, and to bring their help in developing the Commission's opinion on this accession request.
Reiterating the member states' "unequivocal" commitment to Bosnia-Herzegovina's European outlook as a "single, united and sovereign country", the statement calls on the Bosnian authorities to focus more on sustainable reforms, to overcome divisive speech and to work actively towards reconciliation. In terms of reforms, the member states highlight the need to continue socio-economic reforms, those concerning the rule of law, including the freedom of expression and of the media, and the equality of citizens. They also call on all the levels of government to ensure the swift and effective implementation of the coordination mechanism on EU-related issues. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)