Bosnia and Herzegovina officially obtains EU candidate country status

European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attend a news conference during a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 15, 2022. REUTERS - YVES HERMAN

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The European summit in Brussels continues this Thursday evening, against the backdrop of the corruption scandal in the European Parliament.

Other topics are discussed: gas prices, the war in Ukraine or even the process of EU enlargement to the Balkan countries.

And on this point, an agreement has been reached: Bosnia officially obtains the coveted status of a candidate country for the European Union.

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With our special correspondent in Brussels,

The 27 EU leaders followed the European Commission's recommendation.

This is a historic moment for Bosnia, which has been waiting for this for years.

For the European Union, this is a way of confirming its attachment to the process of enlargement towards the Balkans, stalled for years, but which is regaining momentum thanks to the war in Ukraine.

Be careful, Bosnia obtains candidate status, but this is the start of a process that will last for many years.

The Commission had also warned in its recommendation that the country should undertake in-depth reforms, in particular on the functioning of institutions, on respect for the rule of law and on the fight against corruption.

The next step for the candidate country will be the opening of accession negotiations.

Even if everything remains to be done, this formalization of the status of candidate for Bosnia marks a very important moment for the country.

The European summit continues this Thursday evening with several subjects still under discussion, and in particular the famous gas price cap.

The stakes are high: avoid a surge in gas prices in the coming months.

And it is a divisive subject, because some countries like Germany fear that gas producers will turn away from the European market in the event of a price cap.

There is a great deal of reluctance, but from European sources, we are saying this evening that there is progress and that we could expect an agreement, if not in the evening, in any case by the start of next week.

►Read again: A European Union summit in Tirana on the Western Balkans

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• European Union

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Corruption

• Ukraine

• Balkans