One Year of Progress: EUPA4BiH Marks Milestone with Steering Committee and Annual Conference

Last week, the European Union Police Assistance for Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPA4BiH) celebrated an important milestone – one year of progress in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s law enforcement institutions on their path toward EU integration, transparency, and resilience. Supported by a €10 million investment from the European Union, EUPA4BiH is implemented by the CILC in consortium with IRZ, CPVA, CIVIPOL, and FIAP.

Steering Committee Meeting: Setting the Roadmap Ahead

On 6 November 2025, EUPA4BiH held its Second Steering Committee Meeting, bringing together representatives of the European Union and law enforcement institutions from across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting marked the programme’s first anniversary and focused on reviewing progress achieved during the past year, while setting a clear roadmap for the period ahead.

The Steering Committee adopted the EUPA4BiH Work Plan, which outlines more than 120 activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacities, cooperation mechanisms, and professional standards among police agencies across the country.

CILC extends sincere appreciation to all partners for their continued commitment and cooperation, in particular to the Steering Committee institutions whose leadership and coordination remain crucial to achieving shared goals. These include: the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Interior of the Federation of BiH, Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska, Brčko District Police, and the Prosecutor’s Offices at state, entity, and district levels, as well as the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs.

Together, these institutions and their experts are building a more cooperative, professional, and EU-aligned law enforcement system that serves all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Annual Conference: A Year of Results and Shared Commitment

The following day, on 7 November 2025, EUPA4BiH held its Annual Conference in Sarajevo, gathering over 220 representatives from police, judicial and law enforcement institutions, international partners, academia, and civil society.

With the support of the European Union, and a total funding of 10 million euros, EUPA4BiH has carried out more than 40 training activities, 20 expert field missions, and engaged over 500 professionals during its first year of implementation. These efforts have contributed to tangible progress in building a stronger, more transparent, and accountable law enforcement sector that upholds the rule of law in line with EU standards.

The conference also hosted a panel discussion on MONEYVAL/FATF recommendations, as well as special sessions dedicated to the role of women in policing and the importance of dialogue with youth and civil society, reaffirming that a secure and sustainable future depends on inclusiveness, integrity, and trust.

Looking Ahead

As EUPA4BiH enters its second year, the focus remains on deepening institutional cooperation, enhancing professionalism, and ensuring that the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina benefit from modern, efficient, and transparent policing aligned with European standards.

CILC is proud to contribute to this joint effort, working together with BiH institutions and European partners to support the rule of law and strengthen trust between citizens and law enforcement.

This project is funded by the European Commission.