The Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle will launch the High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process with political representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Brussels this Wednesday. This new initiative aims to help Bosnia and Herzegovina to move forward in the accession process by explaining the methodology of EU accession negotiations and by discussing what is expected from a candidate country. The Commission expects the Dialogue to demonstrate, using concrete examples, why an effective and efficient co-ordination mechanism on EU matters needs to be in place in order for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be able to negotiate with the EU and speak with one voice.

The recent adoption of the State Aid Law and the Census Law are important developments for Bosnia and Herzegovina‘s progress in the EU integration process. The Commission hopes that the country will soon be able to meet the remaining conditions for a credible membership application to the EU, as defined by the Foreign Affairs Council in March 2011.

Once Bosnia and Herzegovina submits a credible application for EU membership, it will need to undergo a rigorous technical screening process related to the harmonisation and enforcement of its internal legislation in line with EU requirements, and present its position paper for each EU policy (known as negotiating ‘chapters’). The High Level Dialogue will help Bosnia and Herzegovina to understand well in advance how to prepare for this complex exercise.

EbS link on launching the High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process of BiH, in Brussels on 27 June 2012: http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/player/streaming.cfm?type=ebsvod&sid=206847

Contacts:

Peter STANO: peter.stano@ec.europa.eu

Anca PADURARU: anca.paduraru@ec.europa.eu