On the 2025 Commission report on Bosnia and Herzegovina

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2025 Commission report on Bosnia and Herzegovina

(2025/2251(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part1, which entered into force on 1 June 2015,

– having regard to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for EU Membership, submitted on 15 February 2016,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 29 May 2019 entitled ‘Commission Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for membership of the European Union’ (COM(2019)0261),

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 15 December 2022 granting EU candidate country status to Bosnia and Herzegovina,

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 22 March 2024 and the decision to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III)2,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans3,

– having regard to the declaration of the EU-Western Balkans Summit adopted on 17 December 2025 in Brussels,

– having regard to the Presidency conclusions on Enlargement of 16 December 2025,

– having regard to the Berlin Process, launched on 28 August 2014,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0641),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 4 November 2025 entitled ‘2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2025)0690) and to the accompanying Commission staff working document entitled ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina 2025 Report’ (SWD(2025)0751),

– having regard to the Commission’s overview and country assessment of 2 June 2025 focusing on the economic reform programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to the Joint Conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue with Regional Partners of 13 May 2025,

– having regard to the 5th EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Council on 19 July 2023 and the 8th meeting of the EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Committee on 11 September 2025,

– having regard to the outcomes of the 7th and 8th meetings of the EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, held on 17 and 18 September 2025 and 11 and 12 March 2026, respectively,

– having regard to the expert report of 5 December 2019 on rule of law issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

– having regard to the 67th and 68th Report of the of the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Secretary-General of the UN of 6 May 2025 and 31 October 2025, respectively,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2795 (2025) of 31 October 2025, which extends the mandate of the EU Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) until 31 October 2026,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 78/282 of 23 May 2024 designating 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Bosnia and Herzegovina,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2026),

A. whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) aspires to Euro-Atlantic integration as a path to sustainable peace, democracy and long-term prosperity;

B. whereas each candidate country is judged on its own merits;

C. whereas BiH remains under international oversight established under the Dayton Peace Agreement;

Commitment to EU accession

1. Supports BiH’s EU accession on the basis of unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity; recalls that progress is merit-based, requiring reforms to protect democratic institutions, uphold the rule of law, combat corruption and organised crime, and ensure fundamental rights and equality for all citizens and constituent peoples;

2. Urges BiH’s political leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the strategic objective of EU accession and deliver the necessary reforms and steps set out by the Commission, with a view to opening accession negotiations without further delay;

3. Highlights the BiH Parliament’s key role in the accession process; encourages it to prioritise EU-related reforms and engage in constructive dialogue to ensure an effective, unobstructed legislative process; calls for the adoption of the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH and its Law on Courts, in line with European standards;

4. Calls on the Council of Ministers of BiH to promptly appoint a chief negotiator for BiH’s EU accession negotiations; encourages the BiH authorities to coordinate across all levels for harmonised alignment with the EU acquis;

5. Regrets the continued prevalence of political divisions, secessionist efforts and state capture, which, decades after the war, erode public trust and accelerate brain drain;

6. Welcomes the decisions of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity’s assembly to repeal laws found unconstitutional by BiH’s Constitutional Court; condemns continued inflammatory and derogatory rhetoric and secessionist policies pursued by the RS entity’s leadership, which weaken BiH and undermine its accession path;

7. Welcomes BiH’s continued full formal alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including on sanctions following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and urges their effective implementation and enforcement;

8. Reiterates its support for the Office of the High Representative and EUFOR’s Operation Althea, and, while regretting BiH’s continued reliance on these institutions, recognises their vital role in safeguarding peace and stability;

9. Is concerned by malign disinformation and foreign interference efforts by third-country actors in BiH; calls on BiH to take decisive steps to counter these threats and strengthen societal resilience;

10. Welcomes BiH’s engagement in the EU-BiH Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee;

Democracy and the rule of law

11. Regrets that BiH political actors have still not enacted the necessary constitutional and electoral reforms to ensure that all citizens can exercise their political rights;

12. Urges the BiH authorities to implement international recommendations to strengthen the integrity, credibility and transparency of the electoral process, including on party and campaign financing, political advertising and party registration;

13. Emphasises that, while decentralisation is compatible with EU membership, BiH needs to align its constitutional framework with EU standards and ensure that its institutions function effectively to fully assume EU membership obligations;

14. Urges the RS entity to respect and implement BiH Constitutional Court rulings and uphold the constitutional order;

15. Stresses the central role of the rule of law in democratic transformation; calls for urgent judicial reform to strengthen the judiciary’s independence, professionalism, accountability and efficiency;

16. Notes with concern the limited progress made in tackling widespread corruption and rising signs of state capture; urges the political authorities to take immediate and concrete measures at state and entity levels, and to strengthen cooperation between anti-corruption bodies, the police and the prosecution service;

17. Calls on BiH to address systemic gaps in combating organised crime by improving operational cooperation among law enforcement bodies at state and entity levels; welcomes enforcement operations supported by Europol;

18. Urges BiH to address gaps in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks in order to avoid grey listing;

19. Calls on BiH to align with EU visa policy and to apply additional security measures in the interim;

20. Calls for a strong public administration and a professional and depoliticised civil service with merit-based appointments, as well as strengthened capacities for entity-level reform coordinators and nationwide policy coordination;

Fundamental freedoms and human rights

21. Stresses that free and pluralistic media underpin democracy; is alarmed by the shortfall in funding for BiH’s public broadcaster and urges the authorities to secure its sustainable financing;

22. Strongly condemns attacks, threats, intimidation, political pressure, and strategic lawsuits against public participation against journalists, namely by high-level political figures;

23. Calls on BiH to fully protect the freedom of assembly and association across the country; calls on the RS entity authorities to respect the Constitutional Court ruling repealing the ‘foreign agents’ law;

24. Denounces attacks, discrimination and hate speech against minorities and calls for prompt and effective legal action; calls on BiH to adopt a nationwide strategy for minorities’ full participation in public and political life;

25. Calls for stronger efforts to be made regarding gender equality and increasing women’s participation in public and political life;

26. Encourages long-term solutions for inclusive, equitable and depoliticised education, promoting understanding and reconciliation;

27. Recalls that BiH should assume full ownership of migration management, effectively implement the border control law, adequately staff the border police, and guarantee accessible, efficient and fair asylum procedures;

Good neighbourly relations and reconciliation

28. Welcomes BiH’s active role in regional cooperation; underlines that good neighbourly relations are a key element of the enlargement process;

29. Stresses the importance of reconciliation in BiH and urges the authorities to ensure access to truth, justice and redress, including nationwide legal protection and reparations for civilian victims of war crimes;

30. Rejects all historical revisionism, genocide denial and glorification of war criminals, and the challenging of established facts and the independence and impartiality of domestic and international tribunals, in particular by political actors;

31. Urges BiH to effectively implement the revised national war crimes strategy and further strengthen regional judicial cooperation, including on the extradition of suspects;

Socio-economic reforms

32. Welcomes BiH’s Reform Agenda and urges its swift implementation; recalls that BiH can still benefit from the allocation of EUR 976.6 million;

33. Urges BiH to set up an institutional framework for the management of EU funds and appoint a national IPA III coordinator;

34. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to open negotiations with the Western Balkans on joining the EU’s ‘roam like at home’ regime;

35. Invites BiH to take steps to join the Single Euro Payments Area;

36. Calls on BiH to reform public procurement in line with EU rules, strengthen oversight, capacity and coordination across state and entity levels, and ensure transparent, competitive and corruption-resistant procedures;

Energy, environment and connectivity

37. Encourages BiH to modernise its electricity and gas market rules in line with the EU’s third energy package, to ensure transparency and competitiveness, and to link national energy systems with regional and EU networks to boost efficiency and security;

38. Calls on BiH to adopt a climate law and strategy, align with EU environmental laws, ensure strategic and transparent investment planning, and improve biodiversity protection;

39. Urges BiH to implement integrated water and wastewater management, effective flood prevention and a countrywide strategy to combat air pollution;

40. Calls on BiH to improve transport networks and cross-border cooperation and to make progress on key regional infrastructure projects;

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41. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the Presidency, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the governments and parliaments of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska entity and Brčko District, and the Office of the High Representative.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The report reflects the 2025 European Commission report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It mainly focuses on the commitment of BiH to the accession to the European Union (EU), democracy and rule of law, fundamental freedoms, human rights, good neighbourly relations and reconciliation and socioeconomic reforms, all of which are essential for the country’s integration into the EU.

With the recent developments, the political crisis that erupted has shaken the stability and prosperity of BiH as well as its possibility to become a member of the EU in the near future. A country whose state representatives cannot reach an agreement among themselves remaining entangled in discord over important internal matters, risks undermining the country’s development and denying its people the chance to live in prosperity – ending up, among others, in a serious brain drain, threats of secession and overall instability.

Leaders, like Milorad Dodik, and those who challenge state institutions and the statements made by the Office of High Representative for BiH, also actively engaging with Russian representatives and shaking the country and the region from inside by these ties, make BiH the country that still – for many years- has not recovered from the Dayton agreement and which unfortunately relies on the extension of the mandate of the EUFOR.

The report strongly calls on the BiH officials to work together for the good sake of the country and its soon accession to the EU. It calls for the appointment of a chief negotiator for EU accession and for the adoption of the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and Law on Courts, to begin formal negotiations to enter the EU. It highlights the need for urgent reforms, anti-corruption measures, judicial independence and supports CSOs and free media. By condemning secessionist policies in Republika Srpska and foreign hybrid interference, particularly from Russia, the report highlights the need to strengthen BiH’s democratic institutions and counter threats to stability. Finally, the report aims to encourage progress in aligning energy policies with EU standards, promoting environmental sustainability through climate legislation and biodiversity initiatives, and enhancing connectivity through infrastructure improvements, green and digital transitions, and effective management of flooding and air pollution.

The report aims to reaffirm the European Parliament’s strong and long-lasting support for BiH’s EU membership. The European Parliament stands with BiH and its people from all parts of society and minorities, in their building of a strong prosperous country that’s future is in the EU. BiH holds an important position within the Western Balkans and is a key element of the European Union’s enlargement agenda. Its role is significant for strengthening stability, economic development, and cohesion across the European continent. The country’s economic opportunities, rich cultural heritage, and the will of people highlight its value in building a more united and resilient Europe. In cooperation with other partners, the European Parliament remains committed to supporting BiH on its path to full integration into the European Union.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, European Commission

European External Action Service

Association of BiH Journalists

WestBalkaNet: Regional Forum for Democracy, Reconciliation and Strategic Analyses

Initiative for Monitoring the European Integration of BiH

The European Committee of the Regions

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU

Directorate for European Integration of the Council of Ministers of BiH

House of Representatives, Parliament of BiH

BiH Presidency

OHR Office

EUFOR-Althea Mission Command

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.