TRŽIŠTE RADA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI: PREPREKA ILI POTENCIJAL ZA EVROPSKE INTEGRACIJE

Abstract

A stable, inclusive and functional labor market is one of the key criteria for membership in the European Union, and accordingly the labor market in Bosnia and Herzegovina plays an extremely important role in the process of European integration. The paper analyzes the current state of the labor market in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis uses key indicators such as employment rates, unemployment, economic activity, mobility and quality of the workforce, with special attention paid to challenges such as high youth unemployment rates, long-term unemployment, mismatch of the education system with market needs, as well as the continuous outflow of qualified personnel. The research also indicates the existence of potential: a young population, a growing IT sector, an active diaspora, the possibility of using EU funds and implementing structural reforms within the framework of socio-economic measures required by the EU. The structure of the paper will be based on research into the extent to which the labor market in BiH represents an obstacle or opportunity for European integration, and proposing specific measures that could accelerate alignment with European policies. The research suggests that the labor market currently acts more as an obstacle to BiH's European integration, but with political will and strategic measures, it can be transformed into a significant potential for sustainable and inclusive development in line with European values.