The European Council voted on Thursday to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina EU candidate status, following a recommendation by the European Commission in October and votes in the EU Council and General Affairs Council this week.

Joining the political and economic community of European states, along with joining NATO, is considered one of the most important political goals of BiH. The European Union recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as a potential candidate since the decision of the European Council and the session held in Thessaloniki in 2003.

BiH officially applied for membership in 2016.

Now it is up to the authorities in the country to implement 14 priority reforms in order to continue the path toward EU membership. Among those priorities are ensuring that the elections are conducted in accordance with European standards, improving the functioning of the judiciary, strengthening the fight against corruption and organized crime, establishing effective coordination of border management, strengthening the protection of human rights, guaranteeing freedom of expression and the media, improving the protection of vulnerable categories of society and ensuring the completion of public administration reforms.