Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in February 2016. The Commission adopted an Opinion on its membership application in May 2019, setting out 14 key priorities on democracy/functionality, rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration reform. In December 2022, the European Council granted Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate country status on the understanding that eight steps specified in the Commission’s recommendations are taken. In line with the Commission’s recommendation, in December 2023 the European Council decided that it will open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the
necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved.