Date of release : 07-04-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

The Prime Minister and current President of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, welcomed to Luxembourg the President of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Adnan Terzic, on 7 April 2005. 

The exchange of views revolved around relations between the European Union and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as important dossiers of current international affairs.

Jean-Claude Juncker explained to the Bosnian President of the Council of Ministers that the European Union would continue in its commitment to encourage the reform process in the Western Balkans region, whose "future fits into a European perspective". For Jean-Claude Juncker, "the implementation of the agenda established by the European Council of Thessalonica in June 2003 remains the general framework of action of the European Union in Bosnia-Herzegovina in view making headway in the Stabilisation and Association process."

The current President of the European Council welcomed "the progress already made by Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially in legislative matters" in terms of the 16 priorities outlined in the Commission’s feasibility study. "Bosnia-Herzegovina nevertheless should continue to make progress on all these levels", he said, while highlighting the necessity of "full collaboration with the ICTY." Jean-Claude Juncker also pointed out that as far as structural reform of the police is concerned, "efforts still need to be made".

Jean-Claude Juncker said he hoped that following the publication of the Commission’s evaluation report, due in the coming weeks, the Council would then be able to affirm that the time was ripe to mandate the European Commission to open negotiations in view of reaching a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina.