European Council Starts Accession Talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina

The European Council has decided to launch accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. EU leaders and governments have instructed the European Commission to prepare the appropriate legal framework for such negotiations.

This was announced by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on the social network X (formerly Twitter). 

"This European Council has demonstrated the unity and geopolitical ambitions of the EU. We have decided to open membership negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is an important milestone. We have invited the European Commission to develop a framework for negotiations. Of course, there are still steps to be taken. We have invited the European Commission to identify those steps, taking into account the measures that Bosnia and Herzegovina has to take," Charles Michel said.

"We congratulate Bosnia and Herzegovina on the start of negotiations on accession to the EU," the Council's official website says. 

"Next will come the negotiation phase. However, it could last for years, as the path to membership is long and difficult. Any decision on EU enlargement must be unanimously approved by all 27 current members of the bloc.

The most recent country to join the EU was Croatia. Its application was considered for 10 years before the country was officially accepted into the European Union in 2013. 

As The Gaze previously reported, in early March, the European Commission recommended that Bosnia and Herzegovina start accession talks with the EU. This happened eight years after this Western Balkan country applied for membership in the bloc. The decision was announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.