The EU leaders’ decision to initiate negotiation talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) marked a historic moment for the country. Seen as a political move amid shifting geopolitics, particularly after Ukraine was granted candidate status for EU membership, Bosnia still faces many hurdles on its path to EU accession.
According to consultancy McKinsey, the European car industry has lost around 5 percentage points of market share in the Chinese car market since 2019. In other news: The European Court of Human Rights found that the current political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina prioritizes ethnic representation. As a result, elections are undemocratic. Bulgaria stressed its ambitions concerning its Schengen membership during the Strategic Forum.
European rules oblige member states to keep their budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP. However, there was an exemption in place during the pandemic, which expires at the end of 2023. The EU states want to provide Ukraine with urgently needed artillery ammunition for the fight against Russia as quickly as possible. Austria will participate in an EU mission in Niger.
International support is gradually arriving in Turkey and Syria, but many earthquake victims are still waiting for the help they need; an EU donor conference is planned for March. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s new foreign minister, Elmedin Konaković, paid an official visit to Brussels. Migration into the EU: The Slovak Republic and others stressed the necessity of strict protection of the external borders. Bulgaria and Romania insist they have fulfilled the conditions to be accepted into Schengen.
Almost seven years after submitting a formal application for EU membership, Bosnia and Herzegovina finally received the unanimous support of 27 EU heads of state and government to join the bloc. But now the Western Balkan country of 3.3 million people must deliver reforms.