Bosnia and Herzegovina as a “peaceful, viable state irreversibly on course for European integration” has been the longstanding objective of the PIC Steering Board and achieving this objective has been the focus of OHR’s work.

Political Directors of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board (PIC SB) at their meeting in Brussels on 26 and 27 February 2008 set out the requirements that need to be met by the BiH authorities prior to the closure of the OHR. These requirements are well established, approved by the PIC SB and have all been previously recognized by authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The objectives that need to be delivered by the BiH authorities prior to OHR closure are:

• Acceptable and Sustainable Resolution of the Issue of Apportionment of Property between State and other levels of government;
• Acceptable and Sustainable Resolution of Defence Property;
• Completion of the Brcko Final Award;
• Fiscal Sustainability (promoted through an Agreement on a Permanent ITA Co-efficient methodology and establishment of a National Fiscal Council); and
• Entrenchment of the Rule of Law (demonstrated through Adoption of National War Crimes Strategy, passage of Law on Aliens and Asylum, and adoption of National Justice Sector Reform Strategy).

In addition to these objectives, the PIC SB agreed that two conditions need to be fulfilled prior to OHR closure;

• Signing of the SAA; and
• a positive assessment of the situation in BiH by the PIC SB based on full compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The PIC SB has regularly reviewed progress on this 5+2 agenda at its meetings since February 2008. While progress has been made in some areas, chronic disagreement among the main political parties has produced gridlock that has prevented the full implementation of the agenda.