Conference paper
THE ACCESSION PROCESS AND IPA FUNDS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESTRUCTURING PUBLIC SPENDING AND CONVERGENCE TOWARDS THE EU
Ivana Maletić
; MEP
Vinko Kandžija
; ECSA B&H, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
The opportunity for submission of B&H's application for EU membership was opened with the entering into force of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and was carried out in February 2016. The membership application must contain European affiliation of the applicant country, inclusion in the European Union as a policy objective of the applicant country, as well as readiness for assuming all objectives and commitments ensuing from membership in the EU. B&H is at the very bottom compared to Central European countries, and is below 30% of European Union average in view of level of development. That points to the necessity of implementation of structural reforms in order to mobilize the private sector, which must be the main generator of growth and increase in employment, and which will gradually bring B&H closer to the EU average. 165,8 billion euros are intended for B&H from IPA II programme for the period 2014-2017, whereas the amount of available funds for the period 2018-2020 will be defined subsequently. It has been decided that 13,7 million years will be allocated annually for socioeconomic and regional development in 2016 and 2017. In 2014, 4 million euros were allocated for undertakings regarding employment, active social policy, education, research and development, promotion of gender equality and human resources development, and 11 million annually in the following years, including 2017. Reforms financed from IPA should provide citizens with better opportunities and allow for development of standards equal to those of EU citizens.
Keywords
accession proces; BiH; EU; IPA
Hrčak ID:
204334
URI
Publication date:
25.1.2018.
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