The role of parliaments in the negotiation process for membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU

Sarajevo, July 4, 2024 - The Joint Commission for European Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Office of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Directorate for European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina organized the conference titled "The Role of Parliaments in Negotiations for Membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU." The conference highlighted the crucial role of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU accession process and called for a more conducive environment for more active engagement of parliaments in the country's EU integration process.

At the start of the conference, the First Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Zvizdić, Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, Johann Sattler, and Chairman of the Joint Commission for EU Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zdenko Cosić, delivered opening remarks.

The conference brought together practitioners from the region, namely Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, who shared their valuable insight into their countries' experiences in the EU accession process and the role parliaments played in that process. Furthermore, the conference explored the harmonization process of Bosnia and Herzegovina's legislation with EU acquis.

Ambassador Sattler stressed that "the path to EU membership is far more than a series of bureaucratic milestones; it should represent a transformative journey through the comprehensive alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis, which is where parliaments' role is crucial. And this is no easy task, as it requires unwavering commitment, rigorous scrutiny, and active participation from all stakeholders."

The conference served as a unique opportunity for an open exchange to formulate guidelines and recommendations for the systematic involvement of parliaments in discussions on all relevant issues in the accession negotiations.