The European Commission and Bosnia and Herzegovina initialled the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement after more than three years of negotiations.
The protocol foresees technical adaptations to the trade part of the SAA in regard to Bosnia’s export to the EU and EU’s export to Bosnia, in light of Croatia’s joining the EU 1 July 2013, so as to avoid impairing bilateral trade.
The protocol will be temporarily implemented after the signing, and is to come into force after both parties ratify it.
Adapting the SAA is one of the key issues of Bosnia’s EU accession and represents a foundation for the member states to consider Bosnia’s membership application submitted 15 February 2016.
The Republic of Croatia strongly supports Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU integration and expects the protocol to be signed soon, which will send a message of Bosnia’s clear political commitment to its European path.