(Analysis) Bosnia and Herzegovina: How Far is Candidate Status from EU Membership?

With the achievement of candidate status in December 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina hit a major milestone in its relationship with the EU. However, conflictual ethnic politics and an overly complex institutional system burden the country’s ability to further advance on the path of EU integration. What is the state of affairs of the Bosnian accession process? What other efforts are needed for the country to be functionally able to join the EU?