The conference, entitled “Municipalities and Cities on the Road to EU Accession: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead”, examines how the cities and municipalities of Bosnia and Herzegovina can prepare for the responsibilities associated with European Union accession. The event brings together local government leaders, representatives of EU institutions, experts and development partners.
One of the conference’s central themes is that a significant part of the requirements linked to EU accession will ultimately have to be implemented at local level. Municipalities and regions will play a key role in areas such as environmental protection, public services, rural and urban development, social cohesion and the use of EU funds.
Environment and public services: growing responsibility at local level
Csaba Borboly is an invited participant in the conference panel dedicated to environmental protection and public services. The discussion focuses on how local governments can meet European Union environmental standards and what capacities they need in order to do so effectively.
The issue is directly relevant to Harghita County as well. The practical implementation of EU rules affects areas that local and county authorities deal with every day, ranging from water and waste management, environmental challenges and the development of public services to the advancement of rural areas.
Within the European Committee of the Regions, Csaba Borboly has also consistently underlined that local and regional authorities in candidate countries should be involved in reforms already during the accession preparation phase, rather than only after key decisions have been taken.
Romania’s experience can also be useful for candidate countries
Romania’s experience with EU accession has shown that a significant share of the rules and reforms adopted at national level ultimately have to be implemented by municipalities, counties and local institutions. For this reason, Csaba Borboly has stressed in previous discussions on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European integration that local and regional actors should be involved from the very beginning of the preparation process.
The Sarajevo conference addresses this approach through practical issues. Participants discuss, among other topics, post-2027 EU pre-accession assistance, local authorities’ access to funding, the implementation of environmental standards and the strengthening of local institutional capacities.
The meeting also provides an opportunity for local and regional experience from EU Member States to be shared directly with municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while helping to ensure that the perspectives and needs of local communities receive greater attention throughout the accession process.