Multilateral Environmental Agreements and EU Integration of Western Balkan States (Status of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia in Multilateral Environmental Agreements)

Abstract

The objective of the article is to perceive relationships between the statuses of Western Balkan states (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia) in multilateral environmental agreements and EU integration. It points to the significance of multilateral agreements and certain theoretical aspects of debates on factors which stipulate how states act when dealing with multilateral agreements. The article compares the statuses of the states within this region in terms of the most important multilateral environmental agreements (global and regional). In its conclusions, it is recognized that Croatia (which is the first country to start the EU integration process and which is currently a member of the EU) much more quickly gained the status of a contracting party to multilateral treaties, both globally and regionally. Nevertheless, it is necessary to bear in mind other circumstances of transition, and above all, differences in the level of economic development.