The European Commission decided, on Wednesday 12 October, to recommend that Bosnia and Herzegovina be granted candidate country status for EU membership, subject to conditions.
This will require, among other things, further reforms in the judicial sector, progress in the prevention of and fight against corruption and organised crime, but also in the management of migration. Bosnia and Herzegovina must also guarantee the prohibition of torture and freedom of expression and media. It is also necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the coordination mechanism on European issues at all levels, including the preparation and adoption of a national programme for the adoption of the acquis communautaire.
“The European Council called on the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to finalise urgently the outstanding constitutional and electoral reforms. This reform will have to be put forward as an urgent priority”, warned the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi to the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In addition to these conditions, the fourteen key priorities put forward by the Commission in 2019 must be implemented for the country to open accession negotiations (see EUROPE 12266/3).
Asked about the decision to recommend candidate status when the country had made little progress on these fourteen priorities, the Commissioner said Bosnia and Herzegovina had made efforts in recent months, citing the return of fully functioning institutions, amendments to the public procurement law and the country’s participation in EU programmes and the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Furthermore, the country has made progress in its alignment with EU foreign policy.
Explaining that the Commission had moved from using “negative levers” to “positive levers”, Mr Várhelyi stressed that the Commission was recommending the granting of status as a “helping hand” to the Bosnian people. He said that this approach comes with high expectations and that the political class must quickly create the necessary institutions in order to focus on EU-related reforms.
But this recommendation has a wider impact. “The EU must have a positive involvement in the region” of the Western Balkans, the Commissioner explained. He also stressed that “the EU’s enlargement policy is more than ever a geostrategic investment in the long-term peace, stability and security of our European continent”.
It is now up to the European Council to decide on this recommendation “perhaps in December”, according to Mr Várhelyi.
See the Communication on enlargement: https://aeur.eu/f/3l3
See the report on Bosnia and Herzegovina: https://aeur.eu/f/3l2
Albania. With the country finally having secured the opening of its EU accession negotiations and its first Intergovernmental Conference held this summer (see EUROPE 12996/2), the Commission considers that the country continues to make good progress on its European path and is achieving tangible results. In its view, the reform of the judiciary is proceeding apace, but more needs to be done.
Tirana has also shown a high level of commitment to the Rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime. However, more needs to be done in terms of the fight against corruption, property rights, minority rights or freedom of expression and media freedom.
The Commission also underlines Albania's full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3ko
Kosovo. According to Mr Várhelyi, Pristina has benefited from political stability and the Kosovar authorities have shown their commitment to being part of the EU. However, Kosovo needs to step up its efforts to strengthen democracy, public administration, the Rule of law and the fight against corruption, the Commission said.
“In the coming year, we want to see more tangible results in terms of reforms”, the commissioner said.
The Commission reiterates its recommendation to EU Member States to grant visa liberalisation to Kosovars, saying that the proposal, still pending in the EU Council, should be dealt with urgently.
Furthermore, Kosovo needs to engage constructively in dialogue with Serbia.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3KK
North Macedonia. Now that the country has finally secured the opening of its accession negotiations and the first Intergovernmental Conference has also been held this summer, the Commission states that Skopje should maintain its pace of reform and make use of the Commission’s assessment. According to it, the fight against corruption as well as efforts regarding public administration must continue.
The Commission also notes the country’s rapprochement with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including its full alignment with the EU’s sanctions against Russia.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3kt
Montenegro. According to the Commission, the country, which has opened all its EU accession negotiation chapters, needs to prioritise respect for the Rule of law. Podgorica must therefore step up its efforts, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression, media freedom, the fight against corruption and organised crime, and the credibility of the judicial system.
This requires political stability and constructive engagement of all stakeholders, leading to the establishment of a stable government and a broad political consensus in the national parliament on key reforms, the Commission says.
On the positive side, Montenegro is fully aligned with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3ki
Serbia. For the Commission, Serbia’s priority should be to establish a government firmly committed to the EU’s strategic direction. Further efforts and political commitment are needed to continue and deepen reforms and address shortcomings, particularly in the key areas of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organised crime, freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and the national treatment of war crimes, it says. Moreover, Belgrade should tackle all forms of disinformation.
The Commission also states that Serbia must genuinely align itself with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including sanctions against Russia, which Belgrade does not implement. The alignment rate has been reduced from 64 in 2021 to 45 in August 2022.
Furthermore, Serbia must engage constructively in dialogue with Kosovo.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3kq
Turkey. According to the Commission, dialogue and cooperation with Turkey continues, but the overall relationship remains complex. However, Turkey remains a key partner for the EU, it says, even though EU accession negotiations have stalled.
“The country has not reversed its negative trend away from the EU”, the Commissioner explained. According to him, it has regressed in the key areas of fundamental rights, the Rule of law and the judiciary, but also in macroeconomic governance.
Tensions with some Member States have accelerated in 2022, and Turkey’s foreign policy remains at times contradictory to that of the EU, the Commission regrets.
However, the EU institution recalls that Turkey remains an essential partner of the Union in key areas of common interest, such as migration, counter-terrorism, economy, trade, energy, food safety and transport.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/3kv
Energy. Furthermore, the Commissioner announced that the Commission was working on the energy rescue package for the Balkans, hoping to present it at the Berlin Process Summit on 3 November.
“The current energy crisis is a real challenge for the Western Balkans and Turkey”, Mr Várhelyi said, adding that the EU had invited the Western Balkan countries to join the joint energy purchasing platform. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)