Human Rights Conditionality in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Limited Progress to Limited Impact

Abstract

This paper analyses the EU conditionality in the area of human rights with a focus on non-discrimination – along with its characteristics, particularities, difficulties – and the impact of this anti-discrimination legislation and policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is plenty research which found inconsistencies in the EU’s human rights conditionality towards enlargement countries many of which relate to the Western Balkans countries. This papers finds evidence that although the transposition of the Council 2000/43/EC (Racial Equality Directive) and Council 2000/78/EC (Employment Equality Directive) antidiscrimination directives in Bosnia and Herzegovina could be considered as one of the biggest success of EU conditionality policy the EU has yet to develop a credible human rights conditionality policy.