The Transformative Power of the European Union: Effectiveness of EU conditionality in Croatia and Bosnia i Herzegovina.

Abstract

This Thesis explores effectiveness of EU conditionality in the Western Balkans by comparing the EU accession processes of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. For doing so the theoretical framework of the External Incentives Model of Schimmelfennig and Sedelmeier has been complemented by the theory of National Identity by Freyburg and Richter. By comparing the actions of the EU during several deadlock situation in the both processes and the resulting reaction of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown clear discrepancies in the level of compliance. Where the EU has been able to break deadlock situations in Croatia by using credible and determinate conditionality, in Bosnia and Herzegovina this approach has failed. Most importantly, this has shown that national identity has been effectively blocking conditionality, making it so that the External Incentive Model does not apply for evaluating effectiveness of conditionality.