The EC Delegation to BiH

Delegations play an important role in the conduct of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), providing regular political analysis, carrying out evaluations jointly with Member State Embassies and contributing to the policy-making process.

The Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia and Herzegovina was established on 10 July 1996. In addition to the tasks mentioned above, this Delegation plays a key role in the implementation of substantial external assistance to BiH.

Main Objectives of Assistance

The overall objective of all the assistance provided is to support BiH in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process. In particular:

To help consolidate the peace process and foster inter-Entity co-operation.
To help ethnic reconciliation and the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes of origin.
To establish functioning institutions and a viable democracy, based on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
To lay the foundations for sustainable economic development and growth.
To bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to EU standards and principles.

CARDS Programme Objectives

Between 2000 and 2006, The CARDS programme provided € 4.6 billion to support institution-building and other measures that helped achieve four main objectives:

reconstruction, democratic stabilisation, reconciliation and the return of refugees;
institutional and legislative development, including harmonisation with EU norms and approaches, to underpin democracy and the rule of law, human rights, civil society and the media, and the operation of a free market economy;
sustainable economic and social development, including structural reform;
promotion of closer relations and regional co-operation among countries, as well as between them, the EU and the candidate countries.

Objectives of the Instrument of Pre-Accession (IPA)

As of 2007, IPA replaces the former pre-accession instruments: PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD and CARDS.

The major objective when designing the IPA was to simplify all pre-accession assistance into a single framework for both candidate and potential candidate countries, thus facilitating the transfer from one status to another.

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For more information on the work of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, visit the web site at www.europa.ba.

Alternatively, contact the EC Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina at

Phone: +387 33 254 700
Fax: +387 33 666 037

E-mail:

delegation-bih@ec.europa.eu

Address:        Skenderija 3a
                   71000, Sarajevo
                   Bosnia and Herzegovina