Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA)

On  16 June 2008, Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Communities and their Member States ("Official Gazette of BiH - International Agreements", No. 10/08), which entered into force on 1 June 2015. An integral part of the SAA was also the Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related issues, which entered into force on 01 July 2008 and its application ceased upon the entry into force of the SAA. By concluding the SAA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the evolution clause, confirmed the status of potential candidate for EU membership.

The Stabilization and Association Agreement regulates political, economic and trade relations between BiH and the EU. In accordance with the SAA, the area of free trade was established between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union.

At the request of the European Commission and after Croatia joined the EU, Bosnia and Herzegovina negotiated and signed the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union(Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina - International Agreements, No: 8/17) with the European Communities and their Member States on 15 December 2016 in Brussel, which entered into force on 1 February 2017. This Protocol, together with its Annexes, forms an integral part of the SAA.