EC President Ursula von der Leyen commented on this at a plenary session of the European Parliament broadcast by the organization’s press service.

Of course, more progress is needed to join our bloc; the country is showing that it can meet the criteria for membership, and its citizens are eager to be part of our family, she said.

Von der Leyen said the country had taken impressive steps since the EU granted it candidate status, saying it had made more progress in just one year than in more than a decade.

On December 15, 2022, the regional organization granted Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate status for EU membership.

jrr/iff/mem/amp