Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
99. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps Ireland is taking during the EU Presidency to advocate for EU membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47156/26]
View answerIreland strongly supports EU enlargement which will be a priority of our upcoming EU Presidency.
Ireland was part of the first enlargement of the then European Economic Community in 1973 and we have benefitted enormously from our EU membership over the past fifty-three years. We believe that other European countries deserve the same opportunities, provided that they meet all necessary criteria.
Progressing Enlargement policy has re-emerged as a policy priority for many EU Member States and the European Commission following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The further expansion of the EU and its values can further protect and guarantee the prosperity, security and democratic development of the European continent.
Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in 2016 and was granted EU candidate status in December 2022. In order to advance on its EU accession path, Bosnia and Herzegovina must implement necessary reforms to adopt its negotiating framework, including the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the Law on Courts, in line with EU standards. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also expected to appoint a Chief Negotiator to lead the country's accession negotiations.
Ireland strongly encourages Bosnia and Herzegovina to take these steps without further delay, and will continue to advocate for the country to grasp the current momentum on EU Enlargement to further progress reforms. In September 2025, Ireland opened a resident embassy in Sarajevo, which is a clear demonstration of the importance Ireland places on the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ireland continues to support Bosnia and Herzegovina on their EU accession journey. Last year, my Department, through the EU Enlargement and Fundamental Values Fund, launched the three-year “Ireland for EU Enlargement” capacity-building programme which supports officials from candidate and potential candidate countries engaged in the EU accession process. This year, we welcomed officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in the programme, in addition to officials from all other countries of the Western Balkans and Moldova and Ukraine.
