In 2019, the European Commission adopted its Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU membership application. BiH’s EU accession has been a widely discussed topic for the past decade, spanning all generations and settings, from government meetings to casual conversations over coffee. But what does it really mean for us now that we’re knocking on the EU’s door?
By: Katarina Vučković
Surveys in BiH often avoid asking young people whether they support the country’s EU accession, as this is a complex and challenging question for us. We must be afraid of what young people are telling us, whether through their emigration, their return, or the ideas they bring to Bosnian society.
The European Commission’s opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina is crucial for our relationship with the EU. This demonstrates that the EU is prepared to support our country in implementing the necessary reforms to facilitate a smoother and more straightforward path to integration. The opinion outlines 14 key priorities that Bosnia and Herzegovina must address to receive a recommendation for opening EU accession negotiations.
Key priorities include a functional democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, and public administration reform. Unfortunately, not much progress has been made in implementing the recommendations from 2019. Citizens, including young people, don’t know much about this. We do not learn about this in formal education, even though all the priorities aim to improve everyday life and create the conditions for society to thrive. Young people know little about how much this concerns them and how they can participate in these important steps for the country.
Regardless of our engagement with the European Union, the EU is actively involved with us and is especially focused on young people, including those from BiH. The fact that 2022 has been declared the European Year of Youth shows how important young people are to the European Union at the moment.
What does this mean for young people in BiH, a society still grappling with the aftermath of conflict, the impacts of the pandemic, and ongoing social and political instability in a Europe that is now facing new conflicts? It is a question both for young people and the BiH government.
Although the Year of Youth and the proposed programs cannot be fully implemented in BiH, our youth can follow the lead of their EU peers in addressing youth issues. Since the BiH diaspora includes many young people, seizing opportunities for dialogue and communication is crucial for the development of BiH society. Young people can play a big role in fostering growth and progress.
That is why it is important for young people, youth organizations, and authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be familiar with the European Year of Youth. Finally, young people from neighboring countries like Croatia and Serbia are already seizing the opportunities presented by this important initiative.
What is the purpose of the European Year of Youth?
In September 2021, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that 2022 would be the European Year of Youth. At the beginning of December, the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement to declare 2022 the European Year of Youth.
This is a unique opportunity to engage in dialogue with young people about their vision of their role in Europe’s future and to collaborate on steps that the EU authorities and young people can take to make youth participation a
permanent part of the European Union’s agenda. The achievements of the Erasmus+ program and the European Solidarity Corps, in which BiH partially participates, will be highlighted this year. To celebrate the European Year of Youth and expand opportunities for young people, the budget for the Erasmus+ program and the European Solidarity Corps has been increased by an additional 8 million euros. Throughout the European Year of Youth, the European Commission and the European Parliament will focus on the challenges faced by young people from rural areas and vulnerable groups, address mental health issues among youth, and highlight new opportunities in Europe’s green and digital future. The European Commission wants to listen to young people and hear their ideas and visions for a better and more sustainable future.
Activities marking the Year of Youth are organized by national coordinators in each member state in collaboration with the European Commission and civil society organizations, with oversight from the European Parliament. This includes conferences, initiatives promoting the role of young people in policy-making, campaigns for an inclusive, green, and digital Union, and surveys on the position of young people in the EU. The European Commission has launched a dedicated subpage on the European Youth Portal to celebrate the Year of Youth. This initiative is also promoted to young people via social media and through the efforts of relevant institutions across EU member states and other European countries. The subpage also features a section on youth policy, where you can find new and current European youth policies. On the page, you can download promotional materials and view activities initiated and led by young people across Europe and neighboring countries, regardless of their funding sources. There are no BiH activities on the map yet. Maybe yours could be the first!
What if we had a Year of Youth in BiH?
During his 2020 visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU High Representative Josep Borrell emphasized the crucial role of young people, noting that they deserve opportunities for progress and should be given a chance to contribute to the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What if our government decided to dedicate one year to young people? What if we made 2023 the Year of Youth in BiH? Imagine the impact young people in BiH could make in just 365 days by supporting the implementation of the 14 EU recommendations, actively contributing to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s journey toward European integration, and playing an active role in shaping the decision-making process.
This means that Bosnia and Herzegovina could not only take part in broader initiatives like the European Year of Youth but also emphasize the importance of listening to young people’s voices in BiH and highlight how their potential (which our youth now often bring into the EU) can contribute to the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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