| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.9, No.39, 20.11.03, p16 |
| Publication Date | 20/11/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 20/11/03 THE European Commission has approved the findings of a study assessing the readiness of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to open negotiations for a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The Commission said on Tuesday that it hopes to be able to recommend the opening of SAA talks next year - on condition that BiH makes "significant progress" in a number of areas. These include cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, by bringing war criminals to justice; establishing an independent judiciary and laws guaranteeing human rights; boosting efforts to tackle organized crime; managing asylum and migration; and reforming customs and taxation rules. Chris Patten, the external relations commissioner, welcomed the findings of the feasibility study, saying: "It would give me great pleasure to be able, next year, to recommend to member states that we should start SAA negotiations with BiH. Given sufficient political will, there is no reason why BiH should not meet this target." The study finds that BiH has made significant progress by improving the rule of law, stabilizing the economic situation and carrying out sectoral reforms which are bringing BiH closer to European standards. However, it says these measures need to be consolidated, and the country's technical and administrative capacities need to be improved. The assessment on the readiness of BiH to open SAA talks is the latest stage of the EU's Stabilization and Association Process (SAP), designed to integrate BiH gradually into EU structures. The first step in this process came in early 2000 when work began on a "road-map" of 18 priority reforms. The Commission launched the feasibility study in September 2002, with a questionnaire covering all sectors relevant to a future SAA being sent to the BiH Directorate for European Integration in March this year. An SAA helps to prepare the countries of the western Balkans in the same way as the "Europe Agreements" helped prepare the countries of central and eastern Europe for accession. |
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| Countries / Regions | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia |
