The third meeting of the Joint Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on European Partnership was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo on 15 January 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by the State Secretary for Europe at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Josip Brkić.
The purpose of the meeting was to continue cooperation in the field of European integration, review progress achieved to date, and consider joint activities to be implemented during 2026. In this context, a strong commitment to shared European values, the preservation of stability, and the assurance of transparency in the accession process and the implementation of key reforms was underscored. Encouragement was also expressed for Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue implementing reform activities in order to achieve progress in the negotiation process towards full membership of the European Union as soon as possible.
For many years, Croatia has been providing support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European integration process through political and diplomatic engagement, as well as through the transfer of knowledge related to EU accession processes. This support was particularly evident in Croatia’s strong advocacy for the granting of candidate status in December 2022, as well as its support for the adoption of the formal decision to open accession negotiations in March 2024. Following a strong reform momentum in recent years, Bosnia and Herzegovina has fulfilled the majority of the conditions required to begin accession negotiations and open the first cluster, and hope was expressed that the remaining conditions will be met as soon as possible.
With regard to projects implemented to date, Croatia has established itself in Bosnia and Herzegovina as one of the key providers of expert and technical assistance through the transfer of knowledge related to EU processes, further confirming strong regional cooperation, continuous support, and the fostering of good neighbourly relations. These projects constitute a clear indication of tangible results achieved and the effective operationalisation of this cooperation. In the past two years alone, seventeen joint activities have been implemented, involving a total of 547 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, including civil servants from all levels of government and various parts of the country, as well as representatives of the media. The central objective of these activities is to strengthen the professional capacities required for the effective management and monitoring of the accession process.
The continuation of joint activities is also planned for this year, with the aim of further strengthening the institutional capacities of the public administration in order to ensure efficient, coordinated, and strategic action in the context of preparations for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU membership. This will be achieved through an integrated approach to the development of knowledge and skills in the areas of communication, EU legislation, regional and cohesion policy, strategic planning, and the preparation and implementation of EU projects, with particular emphasis on strengthening capacities for the absorption of EU funds. Mutual satisfaction was expressed with the scope and dynamics of cooperation within the framework of the European partnership, and the successful implementation of the planned projects for this year is expected, as well as the holding of the next meeting of the Joint Committee later this year.
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