2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina

Wording as published by the EP, in English.

1. Amendment 2Rejected

   Paragraph 29 a (new)

   Tabled by Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Matthieu Valet, Afroditi Latinopoulou +1 · PfE

   Added: 29a. Stresses that BiH remains a transit and production country for drug trafficking and continues to face serious challenges related to organised crime and Islamist terrorist groups; recalls that these groups also threaten the EU and underlines that strong external border management and effective cross-border cooperation between the EU and BiH are essential to counter these threats;

2. Amendment 6Rejected

   Recital A

   Tabled by Alexander Sell · ESN

   A. whereas Removed: enlargement is one of the EU’s most effective foreign policy instruments and a geostrategic investment in peace, democracy, stability, security and prosperity on the European continent, and remains of crucial importance, particularly in the context of rapid major geopolitical shifts and growing competition with authoritarian regimes; Added: the EU should not consider further enlargement as a strategic priority by default, particularly when a candidate country is marked by deep ethnic divisions and cultural or religious values that differ significantly from those of the Member States;

3. Amendment 7Rejected

   Recital M a (new)

   Tabled by Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: Ma. whereas more than 50 % of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s population identifies with Islam, a factor that carries significant implications for the compatibility with the Member States’ legal, historical and value-based heritage;

4. Amendment 8Rejected

   Recital M b (new)

   Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: Mb. whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina has a high level of organised crime activity; whereas according to the 2024 Organised Crime Index, mafia-style groups, along with smaller criminal networks, are involved in various criminal activities, often collaborating across ethnic lines;

5. Amendment 9Rejected

   Recital M c (new)

   Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: Mc. whereas the Balkan region is a key transit route for illegal migration; whereas Europol has identified the Western Balkan route as one of two primary illegal migration corridors into the EU; whereas in 2023, the Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia border was the second most used crossing point for migrant smuggling in the Balkans; whereas in 2024 criminal networks further intensified their activities on the Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia-Slovenia route;

6. Amendment 10Rejected

   Paragraph 1 a (new)

   Tabled by Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: 1a. Stresses that enlargement cannot be pursued at the expense of political stability, economic discipline and the cultural values of the Member States;

7. Amendment 11Rejected

   Paragraph 2

   Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

   2. Removed: Welcomes Added: Rejects the European Council’s decision to open accession negotiations with Removed: BiH in the context of the changed geopolitical reality following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; welcomes the adoption of several key laws in the run-up to this decision, but regrets that the positive reform dynamic has stalled, and notes the inadequate implementation and enforcement of the adopted laws; regrets that the legislative process has been marred by a lack of transparency and limited access for key stakeholders; notes the recent adoption of the Laws on Border Control and on Personal Data Protection and calls for their thorough implementation; calls for preparations to establish the Added: Bosnia and Herzegovina; considers that the decision to open accession negotiations is essentially a strategic decision in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine; considers that pre-accession aid will only put a further drain on the resources of the EU and its Member States and that the EU integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina will lead to additional political, institutional and financial Removed: basis for this enlargement to ensure sustainable EU integration; Added: problems in the EU, also fostering corruption; pleads instead for a geostrategic alignment of foreign, economic and development policy to counter the influence of various foreign actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for a mutually beneficial economic partnership, focusing on infrastructure and trade;

8. Amendment 12Rejected

   Paragraph 13 a (new)

   Tabled by Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: 13a. Is concerned about Türkiye’s deepening political, economic and cultural influence on Bosnia and Herzegovina; is concerned about Türkiye’s growing presence through direct investments, religious institutions, bilateral agreements and political support for specific communities;

9. Amendment 13Rejected

   Paragraph 26 a (new)

   Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

   Added: 26a. Is worried that massive EU funding under various programmes and pre-accession aid risks fuelling the entrenched corruption; considers that public trust in the EU will only erode further when citizens see corrupt practices being rewarded with financial gains; calls for strict conditionality, full transparency and independent audit mechanisms to ensure that funds are wisely spent in the way they are meant to be and not misused for personal gain or diverted to politically motivated structures;

10. Amendment 14Rejected

    Paragraph 38

    Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

    38. Removed: Condemns Added: Welcomes the RS entity’s adoption of legislative amendments that have removed gender identity …

11. Amendment 15Rejected

    Paragraph 47

    Tabled by Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell · ESN

    47. Recalls the need for Removed: solidarity-based and fair Added: efficient migration and asylum Removed: management that combines upholding human rights with effective border control; calls on the EU to help BiH to take full responsibility for the management of reception centres, which are often at the border with the EU, to ensure sufficient reception conditions, and to guarantee access to effective and feasible asylum procedures in full respect for international law and human rights; is concerned about reports of insufficient reception conditions in the EU-funded centre in Lipa; stresses the need to increase transparency and democratic scrutiny in the allocation and implementation of EU funds in the field of migration; welcomes BiH’s Added: management, effective border control and an effective returns policy; is worried about the rise in migrant smuggling and the increasing involvement of various international actors, often drawn from migrant populations; notes that criminal groups now include smugglers from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Morocco, Algeria, Türkiye and the Netherlands; hopes that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s upgraded status agreement with Removed: the Frontex and calls for its prompt signature; recalls that any eventual agreement with this agency should fully respect fundamental rights and international standards; urges BiH Added: Frontex will contribute to the prevention of illegal migration and the strengthening of the security of the region; urges Bosnia and Herzegovina to step up its efforts against cross-border crime, especially human trafficking; Added: considers that, in order to reduce economic incentives, essential actions include tracking and seizing smuggling profits and financial disruption in general;

12. Amendment 16Rejected

    Paragraph 48 a (new)

    Tabled by Alexander Sell · ESN

    Added: 48a. Deplores the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to serve as a key transit country for illegal migration towards the EU; stresses that its weak institutional capacity and inconsistent border management pose a persistent risk to the Member States’ internal security;

13. Amendment 17Rejected

    Paragraph 74 a (new)

    Tabled by Sarah Knafo, Alexander Sell · ESN

    Added: 74a. Opposes Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the European Union;