The European Commission (EC) has recommended Bosnia and Herzegovina be given the status of 'candidate' to join the European Union (EU) on the understanding it improved democracy, human rights and other issues. The country has been on the EU waiting list for nearly two decades. It was a potential candidate in 2003 and then applied to join in 2016.

So why do they want to be in the European bloc, what's needed to get accepted and what's the process to join?

"The wind of change is once again blowing through Europe and we have to capture this momentum," said EC President Ursula von der Leyen. "The Western Balkans belong in our family and we have to make this very, very clear."

Von der Leyen warned the EU's opponents see the Balkans as "a geopolitical chessboard" wanting to "drive a wedge between the region and the rest of Europe."

In these turbulent times of conflict and economic turmoil, new countries are clearly welcome to the EU family, but there are conditions before Bosnia and Herzegovina starts dreaming of European citizenship.

To-do list

So what does the Balkan country, which has seen political infighting and ethnic tensions threatening its delicate power-sharing system, have to do? In June, the EC was told to report back on the implementation of 14 key priorities from its 2019 report, covering areas like democracy, rule of law and public administration reform.

Stumbling blocks remain. The 2022 report identified "political turmoil" and "legislative standstill" in the country, stating there was a lack of progress. There were also human rights issues regarding discrimination in electoral rights.

Eight additional steps were needed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on judicial reform, prevention of conflicts of interests, fight against corruption and organised crime, border and migration management, media freedom, protection of journalists and the creation of preventive mechanisms against torture and ill-treatment.

The Commission said five other states - Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkiye, as well as the region of Kosovo who all have candidate status, all needed to make more progress in key reforms.

Acceptance challenges

The executive's recommendation has to be unaninmously endorsed by the 27 EU countries. Albania and North Macedonia are the two most advanced countries in the complex and drawn-out accession process. Talks are split into 35 chapters as the candidate country adapts its national laws to align with EU rules.

Closer to getting the green EU light are Georgia and Kosovo. Georgia is on the 'European perspective' list pending the introduction of reforms. Kosovo is often considered a potential candidate, even though some member states do not recognize it as a state.

On average, it's taken nine years for each of the 21 current members undergoing the accession process. But there are no guarantees. Ukraine and Moldova are officially on the path. Their applications were approved in record time amid the Russian-Ukraine conflict. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic said the decision to grant candidacy status was welcome and historic, and would encourage reforms and fulfillment of the necessary conditions before the opening of EU membership talks.

"The reviving of this process is of vital importance for the citizens and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the stabilization of the whole region," Turkovic said.

With the Ukraine conflict in mind, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said EU enlargement was crucial, adding "it is a long-term investment into peace, prosperity and stability for our continent."

It's clear this won't be an overnight transition. But with EU membership offering potential for employment and growth opportunities, national security, access to services and mobility, albeit at a price of several billions of dollars for participation, there will be hope from both the EU and Bosnia of the many mutual benefits to follow. 

Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement, wants swift reforms. He said: "Granting candidate status is an offer that comes once in a lifetime and with very high expectations. This is not an offer for the political class. It's an offer for the country."

Political landscape

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with a unique political system born out of bloody civil wars. From 1945 to 1992, Bosnia was part of the multi-national Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which crumbled and split into seven independent states.

Bosnia's three main ethnic groups — the Eastern Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks — were drawn into a civil conflict with over 100,000 people killed and two million displaced. 

The 1995 Dayton Peace Accords set up two separate entities — the Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska (RS) and the Bosniak-Croat majority Federation of BiH (FBiH).

At the state level, Bosnia has a three-way presidency, with each member elected to a four-year term to represent one of the three ethnic groups. It's a delicate balance of power fraught with tension. Russia's conflict in Ukraine exposed the different factions and October's elections have been marred by allegations of vote rigging and mass protests.

There is much to think about for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU. Várhelyi said he hoped that by December the country would have a "completely" different political landscape that would enable the European Council to address the candidacy.