However, the first so-called accession conference will only be organized once Bosnia-Herzegovina has implemented the reform requirements that have not yet been met. This includes, among other things, the rule of law in the country and the fight against corruption and organized crime. “Now the hard work must continue,” Michel commented.

The EU had already offered Bosnia-Herzegovina the chance to join in 2003, and it officially submitted an application in 2016. It was accepted into the group of candidate countries in 2022. The reason was also concerns that the Balkan country with around 3 .2 million inhabitants could move towards Russia or China. States such as Austria, in particular, had recently pushed for Bosnia-Herzegovina to be offered the opportunity to advance the accession process.

With the exception of Kosovo, all Western Balkan states are now candidates for membership.

It is unclear how long it will take from the start of accession talks to EU membership. Turkey, for example, became an EU candidate in 1999 and has probably never been further from membership than today. In theory, a candidate for membership can never become a member.

Of the six Western Balkan states, only the Republic of Kosovo is not a candidate for membership. However, the country has already submitted an application for membership. For the youngest state in Europe, it was a rather symbolic act: EU membership is currently out of reach for the country, which has been independent since 2008. The main obstacle is that five EU countries (Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus) do not recognize Kosovo.

Von der Leyen: “Of course more progress is needed”

The decision of the heads of state and government on Bosnia-Herzegovina came on the recommendation of the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “Of course, further progress is needed to be accepted into our Union. But the country shows that it can meet the accession criteria and supports the aspirations of its citizens to become part of our family,” she said in a recent speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.