The Dayton agreement outlined a common state of Bosnia and Herzegovina comprised of two entities, the Bosniak (Muslim)-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska (RS), under the authority of an international representative and a NATO-led peacekeeping presence. Political differences among Bosnia's leaders and vested interests in the status quo continue to hinder efforts to strengthen Bosnia's central governing institutions and administrative capacity. Some Members of the 110 th Congress retain an interest in Bosnia's progress since Dayton, its path toward NATO membership and EU integration, as well as its record of cooperation on war crimes issues. Ethnic Croat parties are generally supportive of greater rights for the country's ethnic Croat community. Both the Office of the High Representative, which wielded extensive political authority for many years, and the international security presence have evolved considerably since the end of the war. EUFOR/NATO

At the end of 2004, NATO concluded its SFOR mission in Bosnia and turned over peacekeeping duties to a European Union military force, EUFOR, to ensure continued compliance with Dayton and contribute to a secure environment in Bosnia.
Over 12 years since the Dayton accords ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian war, Bosnia's future is still somewhat in question. Despite the country's numerous postwar achievements, political and ethnic divisions remain strong, with many of Bosnia's political leaders maintaining sharply polarized views on institutional and constitutional reforms, especially those concerning the Dayton-mandated entities (the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska) and the central Bosnian government. In general, the Bosniak (or Muslim) parties have emphasized a stronger central government, while the Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat communities favor more decentralization. (Bosnia's population includes 48% Bosniaks (Muslims), 37.1% Serbs, and 14.3% Croats (2000 estimate) [CIA, The World Factbook , 2008]). Nevertheless, Bosnia recently achieved new milestones in its path toward full integration with NATO and the European Union (EU). An international High Representative continues to provide hands-on diplomatic guidance, and an EU-led military force remains deployed to provide for a secure environment in Bosnia; both international missions derive from the Dayton agreement and neither has a set end-date. This report provides an overview of prominent current issues in Bosnia that may be of interest to Members of the 110 th Congress. It may be updated as events warrant.