This past April, the European Union Police Assistance for Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPA4BiH) officially launched with its first Steering Committee meeting in Sarajevo, bringing together representatives from the Ministry of Security, ministries of interior, law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and EU partners.
Published on Jul 29,2025 at 11:29 AM | Updated on Sep 11,2025 at 4:25 PM

The event marked the operational start of a 4.5-year initiative, launched in September 2024, focused on reinforcing institutional effectiveness and enhancing citizen security across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The committee adopted its internal regulations, reviewed detailed work plans across thematic clusters, and facilitated in-depth discussions around implementation priorities. The participation of France, through CIVIPOL and the Central Office for the Fight Against Organised Crime (DCIS), further highlighted the project's strong political and operational backing at the European level.

 

Strengthening institutions through cooperation and reform

Funded by the European Union, the EUPA4BiH project is designed to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in aligning its governance and security structures with EU standards. The programme focuses on areas such as transnational organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, financial crime, drug and human trafficking, and corruption. It aims to enhance coordination, strengthen legislative frameworks, and promote the use of modern investigative techniques and data systems that comply with EU best practices. The project is implemented by a consortium led by the Center for International Legal Cooperation (Netherlands), in partnership with IRZ (Germany), CIVIPOL (France), FIAP (Spain), and CPMA (Lithuania). Local expertise will also be mobilised to ensure contextual relevance and foster sustainable outcomes. Organised into ten components and five strategic clusters, EUPA4BiH is expected to deliver lasting impact by promoting legislative harmonisation, institutional interoperability, and effective threat response. Ultimately, the project is not only a security initiative, but also a concrete step towards Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future integration into the European Union, fostering public trust, regional stability, and a more resilient democratic framework.