IBAR: The Interim Benchmark Assessment Report in the EU Accession Process

On June 25, 2024, the European Commission certified that Montenegro was the first country in the Western Balkans to clear the IBAR hurdle. The “Interim Benchmark Assessment Report”, an interim report on the rule of law, serves as a benchmark for the progress of an EU accession candidate in this area. A positive IBAR is a confirmation of the successful steps taken under negotiation chapters 23 (Justice and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) of the accession procedure and points the way for further reforms. The decision was perceived in Montenegro as a positive signal from Brussels and generally as a sign of the EU's growing willingness to accept new members. However, some experts expressed concerns about the standards applied in the reporting process and called for further reforms. But what does the IBAR mean for a country's future path into the EU? This report looks at its relevance in the EU accession process of the candidate countries Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and specifically Montenegro.