Bosnia and Herzegovina's request for EU membership accepted

At today's session of the General Affairs Council of the European Union, chaired by the delegated minister of the Government of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Korčok, Bosnia and Herzegovina's request for membership in the European Union was accepted and the European Commission was tasked with preparing a questionnaire for BiH, it was announced from the Council of Ministers of BiH, reports the Patria News Agency.

After the request for membership in the European Union was submitted in February of this year and after all the conditions of the European agenda necessary for considering the application were met, the Council of the European Union today formally asked the European Commission to submit its opinion on BiH's request for membership in the European Union. This means that Bosnia and Herzegovina will receive a set of several thousand questions to answer in the coming period.

We are publishing the conclusion of the General Affairs Council of the European Union in its entirety:

CONCLUSION OF THE GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

1. On February 15, 2016, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Čović, submitted the application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union. The Council decided to carry out the procedure established by Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with this, the Commission was invited to submit its opinion.

2. Referring to the renewed consensus on enlargement, expressed in the conclusions of the European Council of December 14/15, 2006, the Council once again confirms that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union. The Council reiterates that each country's progress towards the European Union depends on its individual efforts to comply with the Copenhagen criteria and on the conditionality of the Stabilization and Association Process.

3. Reiterating the previous conclusions of the Council, especially those of December 15, 2015, as well as its unequivocal commitment to the perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU as a single, united, and sovereign state, the Council welcomes the significant progress in implementing the Reform Agenda agreed upon by the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels. The Council calls on Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue its efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the Reform Agenda in accordance with the timeline of the action plan agreed upon by the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for the benefit of its citizens and in close cooperation with the European Union, international financial institutions and international partners, as well as with civil society.

In addition to socio-economic reforms, these efforts should continue to focus on reforms in the area of the rule of law and public administration. The Council calls on the Commission to further report on the implementation of the Reform Agenda, including the coordination mechanism. When preparing its opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina's application for membership, the Council asks the Commission to pay special attention to the implementation of the Sejdić-Finci judgment.

4. The Council welcomes the initialing of the Protocol on the adaptation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, which takes into account Croatia's accession to the European Union. Full implementation of the SAA, including its adaptation, is an important element of Bosnia and Herzegovina's commitment to the European integration process.

5. The Council further welcomes the agreement on establishing a coordination mechanism on EU matters. The Council calls on all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure its effective implementation, as an important step towards improving functionality and efficiency.