Brussels, 19/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday the European Commission, as we had already indicated, approved the results of a feasibility study for assessing Bosnia-Herzegovina's preparations for beginning negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU (SAA). According to this study, despite the considerable progress accomplished sine 1990, Bosnia-Herzegovina is still expected to make greater efforts before being "ready" to negotiate an SAA with the EU.
The Commission is hoping to be able to recommend to Member States an opening up of negotiations next year on the condition that in 2004 Bosnia-Herzegovina begins significant and rapid reforms in several areas: that it respects conditions (notably, total cooperation with the International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia); establishes more effective governance at a national level (ensuing that new ministries and central institutions are fully operational); ensures State of law (strengthening of judicial power and fight against organised crime); undertakes economic reforms (improving of budget management, puts in place an efficient public administration, adopts legislation on the status of refugees). Chris Patten, Commissioner for External Relations, was optimistic and indicated that if the country demonstrates the necessary political will for applying all the reforms, "there is no reason why the BiH should not meet this target".
The Commission began its work on the feasibility study in September 2002. The results of the study are based on the replies provided by the BiH authorities to a Commission questionnaire covering all the areas of a possible SAA, the conclusions of work groups that analysed these replies and additional research by the Commission. The success of the reforms by BiH will allow for negotiations to start on such an agreement, which should prepare the Balkans countries for EU accession in the same way as the European agreements were prepared by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.